Different Magic
by AlyGranger
Summary: Based on a dream I had 5 years ago, Ashley Doyles is a muggle who finds herself caught up in the most threatening wizarding dilemma of all. Three evil wizards are after her special portal powers, which would allow them to rule the world. FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It all started with a swing. It went all the way around the bars, and upside down over and over again until I was flung into the sky. Don't believe me? You try it. Then again, don't. I didn't mean for it to happen. Unfortunately, it wasn't a coincidence either. I was on a swing at the park, thinking about the Harry Potter books. They were so good, so different, so...me! I was obsessed. I still am. And yet I wonder if it was all a dream. A dream from which I still have a souvenir. Magic.

Okay, by now you probably think I'm some lunatic who can't write a single paragraph without changing the topic at least 3 times. I should start over. I'm Ashley Doyles. I'm 11 years old and I believe in magic. I read too much and I'm obsessed with the Harry Potter books. Well, I think that about covers it. Let me go on with the story.

One day at the township park, I was sitting on the unmoving swing, thinking about how cool Hermione Granger was. Until suddenly the swing, all by itself, started to move. I looked up, confused. There was no breeze. What was happening?

The swing started to go faster and faster. I tried to stop it, but my toes couldn't reach the ground. I tried to leap off, but some invisible force was holding me back. The swing swung higher and higher, I called out in distress. The parents, the kids, the dogs, none of them heard me. The chain swung around and finally over the bar. I shrieked as gravitational force kept me pushed onto the fast moving swing. Finally, the chain broke. I was flung into the sky. I looked down and saw the people in the park going on with their activities as if they couldn't hear or see my distress.

I went up for about 10 seconds, gripping the bars so tightly that my fingers began to turn white. Suddenly, the blue of the sky faded into a bright purplish pink color and the world dissolved around me.

The first word that popped into my mind was "portal". And that's exactly what it was.


	2. Chapter 2

Chap 2

I flew through the portal and landed on a hard, rough floor. The swing was nowhere to be seen. I saw two glittering, silver eyes (that is the only way to describe them) veering over me. After that I blacked out.

"Crazy! How did it happen? And to a muggle-born girl too." At the sound of the word muggle I opened my eyes. I was in a room with stone walls and portraits all around. The portraits were moving! After taking in the shock of that, I was awake enough to realize that I was lying on an unfamiliar bed with white sheets. Next to me was a vial of some kind and there were two people talking nearby. I could see them through the corner of my eye. I was too tired to move my head. The first person (probably the person who had spoken earlier) looked sort of like a nurse. The second person was an old man with sparkling blue eyes and a long flowing white beard. He was wearing robes of some sort.

Then it hit me! He might be Dumbledore from the Harry Potter books and the lady could be Madam Pomfrey. But then that would mean that I was inside Hogwarts!

I slowly sat up, shaking with the effort. The lady, Madam Pomfrey as I was beginning to think of her as, briskly walked over and began to get out an enormous chunk of chocolate. She broke off a piece with a small hammer and handed it to me.

"Eat." She said. "We'll explain everything later. Right now you need to rest."

"No. First she must understand. She can rest later." Said the Dumbledore-like man, gliding over. Even though he was so old, he moved very gracefully. "As I understand, your name is Ashley Doyles. Am I correct?" The old man asked.

I nodded, still shaking like crazy. On an impulse I took a bite out of the chocolate without thinking. Suddenly I felt calm and warm. I felt better then I had in a long time.

The old man then continued, "Somehow, for a reason I will speak of only later, a dark wizard tried to summon you to him through a portal. I fear this may just be the first of many times this happens." I gaped at him, unsure of what he meant and whether I really wanted to even know. "Unfortunately for him, as soon as you passed out your mind created another portal which pulled you into it and somehow dropped you off in my office." Although I still felt shocked, I realized that there were no portals in the Harry Potter books. No portals at all. Was all this a dream? Dumbledore continued, "I must say, I've never heard of a magic quite like yours before but I do believe that you're a witch. So now you will be going to Hogwarts. Those American Wizarding Schools always miss the muggle-born witches and wizards. I went to your home and explained this to your parents. They were worried but they will tell your friends and other family that you're at boarding school. The new school year begins in two days. You will stay here until then. After that you will join your house in wherever they sleep for the rest of the school year. Now I must go. I have much to do." And with that he exited the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I was in the Hospital Wing for that day and the day after that. But the next day, a witch with sandy blonde hair, which she wore in a tight bun, and glasses came to help me get the supplies that I would need for Hogwarts. She reminded me a lot of Professor McGonagall.

"My name is Professor Rowling. Come. We have to go and get your school supplies from Diagon Alley."

I stared at her. J.K. Rowling was really Professor McGonagall! How weird would this get?

"Inside my pocket," She explained, "is a portkey. It will take us to Diagon Alley. Put your hand in my pocket."

I jammed my hand in, eager to know what a portkey felt like. She slid her smooth hand over mine. She glanced at the watch on her other hand and counted down softly from 27. "3, 2, 1." She muttered. Then I felt as if I was being pulled by a magnetic, invisible grasp.

As suddenly as it started, it ended. We were in a crowded alley way filled with wizards and witches of every possible race and age that you could imagine. All here.

First, we walked up to a huge building that I guessed to be Gringotts. It was far from how I had imagined it. Much bigger too. We walked inside and over to a desk with a short, ugly goblin sitting at it. Professor Rowling traded muggle money (it must have been from my parents) for Galleons, knuts and sickles. Professor Rowling explained money matters to me. Twenty-nine knuts to a sickle and seventeen sickles to a galleon. That was confusing but I'd get used to it. We got my books, cauldron, potions set and all that stuff and then went to get a wand. As we walked in a light bell rang.

"Mr. Olivanders?" Asked Professor Rowling, looking around. The silence in the shop was almost too much. With all the dust, it looked like no one had been here for centuries. Quietly, an old, white-haired, scary-looking man crept into view. He squinted at me.

"And who might you be? A first-year witch about to start Hogwarts? Don't worry, I'll find the perfect match for you."

He handed me a long, thin stick. So this was a wand. I lifted it up and waved it around. Nothing happened. Mr. Olivanders grabbed it back and gave me lots of other wands to try. I was beginning to get impatient.

Mr. Olivanders looked around the shop. At the way back was a wand in a display case. He took it out and walked slowly towards me, holding the wand like a prized possession. He silently handed it to me.

Professor Rowling snatched the wand out of my hands.

"That wand is not for her!" She glared at him while speaking.

It may as well be." Was Mr. Olivanders reply.

Professor Rowling half staring in disbelief, half glaring, shook her head and handed the wand back to me.

At once I felt the difference from this wand and the rest. I knew that this was the one for me.

Professor Rowling gasped. I stopped my wonderful thoughts and saw her staring at me in horror.

Even Mr. Olivanders jaw was hanging down.

"What?" I asked.

"You were glowing!" Answered the shocked Hogwarts teacher.

Mr. Olivanders took the wand from me carefully. "There is a story," He began. "About this wand. More of a legend with a prophecy mentioned actually. The one destined for this wand is supposed to have a power above all others. They will be the most powerful wizard or witch for centuries before them and centuries after them. The bearer of this wand was, in the legend, going to be wanted by all evil and in danger at all times. The Seer who made this prophecy was Morgan le Faye. After Merlin's death, she made the prophecy. Before that, this wand, 10 1/2 inches, maple wood with the feather of a phoenix, actually belonged to the great wizard Merlin!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

From reading the Harry Potter books, I knew that Merlin was a famous and powerful wizard. Heck, even muggles who didn't read the Harry Potter books knew who he was. I stared at the wand. My wand. My destined wand. This was amazing! Me? I'd always dreamt I would go on an adventure or have something special happen, but I didn't think that it would be this big. Evil was after me? I was in danger at all times. Whoa!

Professor Rowling paid for my wand, looking and dazed as I felt. I think Mr. Olivanders sold it to me cheap. We walked out and Professor Rowling looked at her list.

"Well that's everything. Unless you want to buy an owl of course. It's probably a good idea. You certainly have enough money. You can always use the school owls but having your own owl is better. They're more attuned to you."

"Okay. Let's go get and owl." I whispered, still dazed. Professor Rowling sighed, took my hand, and started to drag me along. I snapped back to reality (which sounds weird enough since this is a HARRY POTTER PLACE) and struggled to get to my feet.

The owl shop, Eeylops Owl Emporium, was huge! It had so many owls that they were all a blur of feathers and beaks. I looked around the dim building. There were some stairs in the back corner to a second level. The professor was talking to someone so I quietly wandered around, looking at the owls, amazed. They flew around free and if you held you arm out, 5 of them would try to land on it at the same time. I was a petting a tawny brown one and decided to look at the second level to see if there were anymore owls. They tawny brown owl fluttered away as I ascended the steps.

Almost instantly the noise stopped. There was a young woman leaning over a work table. As she sat up, I saw the most magnificent owl of all. The lady saw me and quickly said, "You're not allowed up here! Go downstairs NOW!"

"Sorry." I apologized. "There wasn't a sign or anything. I thought…"

"Well, you thought wrong!" She snapped at me. Someone was sure cranky today. "Go back down!" She ordered.

"But that owl…"

"Now!" She pointed to the stairs. One glance at her stern eyes told me to give up. I started to walk down the stairs and the noise instantly returned. I cringed at the sudden volume. I heard something following me. I looked back. It was the magnificent owl. She landed on my shoulder.

"Mom!" The young lady cried, running down after it.

"This is your mom?" I asked in disbelief.

She nodded slowly. "She's an animagus. She got stuck in owl form."

I stared at her. People could get stuck in their animagus form. This owl was really that lady's mother.

Suddenly the owl slid into a human shape and grew to human size. It became a lady somewhere in her 60s.

Her jaw dropped. "But how…" She stammered. I was stuck. And neither of you were holding a wand. How'd I change back? I…" she spotted the wand in my pocket and gasped. "The wand of Merlin!"

As she said this, I saw Professor Rowling coming over.

"Ashley, let's get going. Have you chosen an owl yet?" she asked.

"This girl," The lady's mother started, "changed me back to my true form when I was stuck in my animagus shape. Without touching her wand!" The whole shop quieted down to watch.

"C'mon." Murmured Professor Rowling, pulling me outside as fast as she could.

"But what about an owl?" I asked.

"Use the school ones. Now put your hand in the pocket with the portkey. I put my hand in and instantly we were off. Seconds later my feet touched ground again. Professor Rowling led me to the Hospital Wing. "Get changed into your robes. The other students will be here soon. Pack up also." She said as if she had a major headache. "I need to speak to Dumbledore.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

She walked away, practically speed walking. I put on my new school robes and got my stuff together. I read until Professor Rowling came and brought me to a little cavern near the lake where the first year's boats would dock. I was so excited. This was it! I was really starting Hogwarts! I would soon be getting sorted just like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were, that is, if they were really real.

After about fiver minutes I saw the boats in the distance, lamps leading the way on the front of each boat. In one more minute I could see people. Finally, the boats docked. The other first years climbed out. Some gave me strange looks for already being there. We followed Professor Rowling into the school. We went up some stairs and stopped at the in a huge room. I guessed that it was the Entrance Hall. She then led us to a smaller room off to the side. Once we were all in I looked back towards the door and was amazed to see a giant man with a huge shaggy beard. Hagrid! How could I have not seen him on the way up to this room? He was so tall! Everything in this world was so different from how I had imagined it. People were beginning to quiet down.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In just a few moments you will be entering the Great Hall. There you'll be sorted into your house. During your stay here, your house will be like your family. You can earn points by answering teachers' questions correctly, by scoring high on tests or any other reason that a teacher sees fit to award points. Any rule breaking and you will loose points. If you have any questions, you can ask your Head of House or a prefect. I will come back when the rest of the school is ready for you. Hagrid will stay here." Professor Rowling then walked out of the room.

As if signaled, the noise level simultaneously went up. All of the first years, except for me, started chatting. I just stood there in my corner, shyly looking around. There were about 40 first years. Some were boys, some were girls. All in the black robes of Hogwarts. We waited for a few minutes until finally Professor Rowling opened the door and motioned for us to come back out into the Entrance Hall. We quieted and followed her. She brought us up to huge doors and moved us into a sort of line. Two by two, by two. When we were ready, the doors opened and we all entered the largest room I've ever been in in my life. The ceiling was identical to the night sky. There were four, long tables with a few hundred students sitting at them. We walked down to the end of the room where a fifth table with chairs only on one side so that the teachers could look out at the students sat. A few of the other first years moved away and I saw a chair with a frayed wizard hat, which must've been the sorting hat, on a stool. A little face was on it. It was hard to see, but obviously there. The brim of the hat pulled open and broke into song.

Welcome students

Young and old

To a place

Where you'll be told

Of intelligent wizards

Unafraid

And therefore remember

For all your days

I'm here to sort

With pleasure and ease

Into houses

One of these

In Gryffindor

There stand the bold

Brave with tales

Of courage untold

In Ravenclaw

The intelligent dwell

Sure that their intellect

Will always be well

The Hufflepuff are

As loyal as can be

With friendship and greatness

As you can see

In Slytherin

Are the sly and cunning

Folks with plans

That they can always keep running

Now you know the houses

And the founders would be proud

Of the students that in this school

Now will happily dwell

So open now

The mind to learn

Good luck on your journey

May your candle always burn

The hats mouth closed to deafening applause that rang throughout the hall. Holding a long scroll with names on it, Professor Rowling stepped forward.

"When I call your name, step forward and try on the hat. It will tell you what house you are in. Aborino, Sorina."

A girl with night black hair and a timid face stepped up to the hat. She quietly lifted it up, put it on, and sat on the stool. It took two whole minutes to sort her. The hat was moving, probably speaking to her. Finally it called out "Gryffindor!" Sorina placed the hat on the chair and ran over to the Gryffindor table which was clapping politely. She looked like she wanted to disappear. I almost laughed. Everyone was nervous, why should I be. It was just a hat. I waited determinedly as five other students were sorted. They were "Awtirn, Jason" and "Benette Zira". Then were three triplets named Aqua, Marina and Aquamarina Danson. Finally she called out "Doyles, Ashley". I walked up and carefully put the hat on, fully aware that all eyes were on me.

"Hmmm….you'd do well in any house, really, but…oh, a smart one I see, lots of courage too. You're definitely a hard one. Oh, really now…that wand…your power…never mind. Gryffindor!" That last word the hat yelled to the entire school. With a small smile on my face I walked to the Gryffindor table amidst the polite clapping. I felt my excitement growing again. Harry Potter had been in this house. I sat down next to Sorina Aborino who was, so far, the only other Gryffindor first year. Seven other students had joined us at the Gryffindor table by the end of the sorting. Two more girls and five boys. Finally, "Zasley, John" was sorted into Ravenclaw. Dumbledore stood up, all eyes on him.

"Welcome first years and welcome back older students. I would make a speech but I know that all of you are hungry. So go ahead and eat. I won't keep you waiting." He sat down.

Instantly, lots of different types of food appeared on the tables. The jugs filled up with what tasted like pumpkin juice (I'm from America. We don't drink pumpkin juice there). I ate until I could eat no more.

Eventually, everyone was full and we were ready to sleep. The prefects led us to our common rooms. A tall, dark skinned boy was the Gryffindor prefect who led us. We came up to a portrait of a fat lady in a frilly pink dress. "Password?" She asked.

"Hinkypunk." Said the prefect. The portrait swung forward and a hole big enough for a person to walk through appeared. We were led through it into a magnificent room with cozy chairs, a lit fireplace, and crimson and gold hangings on the walls. We were told where our dormitories were. (Boys up the steps and to the left. Girls, same to your right). There were four four-posters in my dormitory. Sorina Aborino's four-poster was next to mine. The other two girls introduced themselves as Stella Lucetburg and Nicole Gurrob.

"I always knew I'd come to Hogwarts. My parents are a witch and a wizard. They got me an owl. Look at her. Isn't she soooooooo beautiful?" Stella bragged. Stella seemed like a bit of a snob. Her family had always been witches and wizards, and she was completely spoiled. She and Nicole had been friends since they were little kids and were sticking together.

"She's really cute. I have a cat." Said Sorina. "Her name's Mya. I also have…other pets, at home." Sorina pet her purring cat one last time and then returned to unpacking.

"So what about you, Ashley?" Asked Stella. "Muggle-born or otherwise? Any pets? Anything?"

"I'm muggle-born." I answered. "I only found out that I was a witch two days ago. It's a long story."

"But why were you already here when the rest of us got here?" Asked Nicole, who blushed when I sighed.

"Look, not now. Okay? It's along story!" I said, attempting to avoid the subject. Sorina gave me a questioning look. Then we all got back to work.


	6. Chapter 6

Chap 6

I slept peacefully that night, only awoken by day's light. I read one of my school books (The Standard Book of Spells Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk) until my roommates awoke. Sorina and I walked down to the great hall together.

"Why wouldn't you tell us anything about yourself yesterday?" She asked. "Like why you were here before everyone."

I sighed once again.

"Please!" She begged.

"Okay. I'll tell you, but it's really weird. I started out at a park on the swings. Suddenly the swings went over and back and I was flung into the air."

Sorina gasped.

I continued, "I flew up and somehow my mind created a portal or something. Some evil guy was trying to summon me because I have some different type of magic."

"The Inner Eye?" Asked Sorina.

"Nah. Something else. Dumbledore told me that. Then I stayed here those two days before the school year started and went to get my school supplied with Professor Rowling yesterday. My wand, there's some kind of prophecy about. That the wands owner would have a great power and all evil would be after them, blah, blah, blah. But before that, this was Merlin's wand.

"Are you lying?" Accused Sorina.

"No!" I exclaimed, holding my hands up. "It's all true, but…maybe I'm just dreaming this all. Pinch me."

Sorina leaned over and pinched me.

"Oww! Not that hard!" I said, rubbing my arm.

Sorina grinned. "You're not sleeping." She said happily, skipping along the last few steps. Sorina and I became close friends that very moment. I knew she was someone I could always trust.

She turned back to me and smiled. "C'mon. We'll be late." I rushed after her to the Great Hall."

"Schedules." A first year boy to my right named Ben Nedsra said, passing me a bunch of papers.

I took them and found mine. I handed the rest to Sorina. My schedule was a big chart. There were two classes in the mourning, and then lunch. Then there were two more classes and dinner. Tea was somewhere in there also but I ignored that. It's just tea, which, in America, isn't a big deal. This kind of schedule went on all week, except we had Friday afternoons off, sometimes we had seemingly random breaks and we had nothing Saturday. Then I saw Wednesday night.

"We have a class at midnight?" I asked Sorina, unbelieving.

"Yeah." She answered, sounding overwhelmed. "Don't eat too slowly. We have a class this morning."

We went back to our Dormitory after breakfast, got out Charms books, and went don to Professor Flitwick's classroom. We sat down at out seats as the other students wandered in. Some had gotten lost for a little bit. They started to chat, but Flitwick began to say "Quiet! Attention please! Welcome to Charms class. My name is Professor Flitwick in case you haven't read your schedules closely enough." A few people laughed. "Today we are going to go over some basic wand movements."

'My wand!' I suddenly realized. 'It's on my bed.' I couldn't believe that I had forgotten it.

I could see where it was in my minds eye. All of a sudden, I was in the dormitory. 'How did I get here? I have to get back.' I grabbed my wand and jumped towards the door.

A picture of the classroom flashed before my eyes. I was sitting in my seat again. And everyone was staring at me. Even Professor Flitwick. I felt my face blushing. Now I had a lot of explaining to do. But how to explain?

"Let's just get back to our lesson now. Shall we?" Started Professor Flitwick. "Please open to page 310 and…" He gazed off, still confused. Still surprised.

I was still embarrassed. Why? Why couldn't I have just been a normal witch? This was so humiliating.

The lesson continued. The basic wand movements were easy enough. The rest of the class kept stealing glances at me though.

Afterwards, I ran up to the dormitory and threw myself onto my four-poster, crying. Sorina came in soon afterwards and rushed over to comfort me.

"What's wrong?" She asked, patting my back, sympathetically.

"I wish I'd never even come to Hogwarts!" I cried.

"Shh. Calm down…hey! What's happening?"

I felt a slight tingling all over my body. I looked down and saw myself fading away. I strained as hard as I could.

"You're sliding in and out of view. What's going on?" Asked Sorina. She was backed up against the wall. Evidently, she was afraid of me now.

"Help!" I screamed. Then I slid completely out of view.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

How did it happen? Where was I? I blinked and got used to the dim light. I was in a secret lab cavern or something. Lots of machinery and junk.

"Yes. My plan worked. Her powers can be summoned and used. Now I can rule the world!" The shadowy figure, which had been rubbing its hands together menacingly came into the light and let out an evil laugh. I could almost imagine him saying 'Muhahahahahahaha'. He was a short, fat, evil-looking wizard with an insane greedy gleam in his eyes.

I wanted to get away, to go back to my normal, magic less, non-dangerous muggle life. At least there I wouldn't be considered a freak, or be summoned by one.

Suddenly, I was back on my four-poster at Hogwarts, lying on the bed.

Sorina lifted her head and stared at me. Then she buried her head in her hands again and shook her head.

"What? It wasn't my fault!" I said, shivering.

She just kept shaking her head.

"Let's go. We have Defense Against the Dark Arts…" She trailed off, staring at me, then broke her glance and went over to her chest.

We got our books and wands and we went. The teacher, when we walked in, was talking to a boy in front.

He looked up and saw me.

I blushed. He was kind of young, with night black hair, and startling green eyes. I then realized that he was looking at Sorina. Not at me. I felt disappointment wash over me. He was a really cute teacher. Really tall too. Especially compared to short, old Flitwick.

Sorina was talking to Nicole.

"C'mon. Let's find our seats." I said, giving her a pull towards the front.

She frowned at me. "I'd sorta rather sit in the back here, next to Nicole. She replied.

I sulkily agreed and sat down, almost forgetting my embarrassment at what had happened minutes earlier.

"Hello." Said the teacher smoothly. I squirmed around in my seat. "I'm Professor Potter, your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. This year I'm going to be focusing on…"

I didn't hear the rest. 'Professor Potter?' A black haired man with green eyes? HARRY POTTER! But J.K. Rowling, I mean, Professor Rowling, had only written up to the fifth book. How could Harry be in his twenties when he was supposed to be only 15 years old? 'Wait a second!' I thought, backtracking. I thought Professor Rowling had only written the Harry Potter books for fun. Was she really trying to warn muggles about You-Know-Who? I mean, Voldemort? I was so confused.

"We'll start out with some basics." Professor Potter finished. "Okay. Get your books out to page 1. It's an easy enough chapter to read. Start now." I opened my book and read.

After dinner, that day, I stumbled into the common room and dragged myself over to a cozy, red chair in front of the fireplace. There were way too many steps in Hogwarts and even more ways to get lost! As I collapsed onto it, Professor Rowling came in through the portrait hole and looked around. She spotted me and briskly walked over.

"The headmaster would like to speak to you." She said, practically commanding me to get up, judging by the tone in her voice. I followed her, barely awake after a day like that. Everyone at dinner kept pointing at me and whispering. The whole school must've known about my disappearing act by then! We walked up to a pair of stone gargoyles.

"Puking Pastilles." She said promptly. Soon enough we were in Dumbledore's office. Flitwick and Potter (I've got to stop saying Professor. It takes too long.) were there too.

"Ashley," Began Dumbledore. "It has been brought to my attention that your 'other' powers have been acting up lately."

Professor Flitwick nodded (see! I still can't say just Flitwick).

Dumbledore continued, "It has been decided that must learn to control your powers better as to not…disturb, the other students."

I understood that. Disturbing the other students. They disturbed me by whispering and pointing at me all day long.

"Since Professor Potter, here, also has another type of magic, he will be your teacher. You will report to his office on Friday's at 6 o' clock. You may go now."

As I walked away, back to the Gryffindor tower, I smiled. Lessons with the cute, Harry Potter. Maybe Hogwarts wasn't so bad.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I couldn't sleep that night. As tired as I was earlier, now I was wide awake! I went over to the window and looked, leaning against the wall. I had never really had a chance to see Hogwarts. On my way to Herbology I'd been too busy trying to ignore everyone staring at me because of what had happened earlier in Charms. The forest was beautiful. Even though it was called the "Forbidden Forest", it looked so inviting. It looked like such a wonderful place. It was hard to believe that this was where Lupin had changed into a werewolf, Harry and Ron had almost been eaten by Aragog, and Grawp had lived.

Suddenly some bushes moved. Out walked a scaly-skinned, winged creature. A thestral? But how could I see them? I'd never seen someone die. I decided it was because of my other powers.

There was never a dull moment at Hogwarts. All of a sudden, the thestral pounced. A little owl was being attacked by it. I was suddenly down there, outside. Not a portal again! I groaned, running towards the owl. I grabbed it and hugged it close. The thestral glared and galloped back into the forest.

I walked around the school to the front door. As I was walking through the Entrance Hall, another first year ran over. What was she doing down here at 11:00 at night? She glared at me accusingly and hissed through her teeth, "That's my owl! Hive me her back!" I recognized the girl as a Slytherin. She had glaring eyes, long black hair and an olive green night gown.

"You should take better care of her. She was being attacked when I saw her." I said, giving the owl a little pat and handing her over.

"Freak! I'm gonna tell on you for stealing. You'll get a detention for sure!" With that, the girl stomped away. Well, now I'd already made somebody hate me.

The next morning, I was extremely tired. After breakfast, Sorina and I finally found our way to the Potions class. She acted less afraid of me and I told her I was sorry and that I had no control over what had happened. I told her I'd try to control it better though.

So we went down to the Potions class, friends again. I remembered Snape from the Harry Potter books. Potions was a bad class in a bad place. When we walked in, I was surprised not to see a mean, greasy black haired, Slytherin-like man but a nice looking lady.

"What about Snape?" I asked Sorina. She gave me a weird look.

"He hasn't aught here for a few YEARS! He left. I heard from a family friend's son that he was really mean to everyone who wasn't in Slytherin. But I've also heard that this teacher, Professor Liatrix looks nice, but is a total and complete rat when she wants to be." Warned Sorina.

I was about to reply, but a rough, scratchy voice began to say, "Sit down. Sit down. NOW! 5 points from Gryffindor." It was Professor Liatrix. She really could be a total "rat" as Sorina called her. "Now. We're making a growth potion. The directions are on the board. QUIET MR. RAFIACO! Start!" It wasn't all that great of a way to introduce a class, but at least there were instructions. I squinted up at the board. SCRIBBLE! You couldn't read a word she had written.

"Is there a problem, Miss Doyle?" She asked, sneaking up behind me, making me jump.

"Sort of. You see, I can't read the…"

"The instructions are very clear." She cackled at me. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Now, what's your problem?"

"Nothing." I mumbled.

"Good." She walked away. I glared at her behind her back.

"She's such a toad!" Giggled Sorina, seeing me glare.

"What is it with you and comparing people to animals?" I demanded.

"Her father owns a magical creature zoo. That's why." Answered Stella, even though I hadn't asked her.

Sorina blushed. "Yeah. But it's sort of embarrassing, you know, having a dad without a proper job. It's kinda humiliating in a way." She explained.

"That's okay. It' cooler then my parent's jobs. My mom's a doctor and my dad's a lawyer. Not all too great, huh?" I told her.

"Well, my parents work in the Ministry of Magic. My dad's in The Department of Gold Circulation, and my mom's in the Apparation Test Center. They have great jobs." Stella said proudly.

Sorina rolled her eyes.

"Better get back to work." I said, lighting a fire under Sorina's cauldron while she began to decipher the instructions. I glanced at Professor Liatrix. She was explaining the board to the girl who didn't take care of her owl. I nudged Sorina and asked, "Who's that girl that Liatrix is helping over there?"

She glanced up. "Oh, that's Flora Marigold. A true Slytherin if I ever saw one. She's a snobby stuck-up, stupid, rich, brat!" Described Sorina with extreme dislike.

The lesson went on. It was impossible and annoying. We just barely survived.

"Where to next?" I asked, trying to be optimistic.

After another hard day of work and incredibly strict teachers (or boring in Professor Binn's case), I went to Professor Potter's office for my first "special lesson".

I tried to hold back my smile, but I didn't have much luck. When I finally remembered that this was still a class, I stopped smiling and groaned. Why did I WANT another lesson? I continued walking. Oh well. Not like I had a choice or anything.

Finally I made it. I took a deep breath and opened the door. Professor Potter was sitting at his desk, writing. I stepped in. He looked up and his amazing green eyes met mine. He pushed back his chair and stood up.

"Have a seat." He said. I sat at one of the desks, glumly. "Now as you know, you need to learn to control your "special" powers. Not only are some of the other student s bit, erm…disturbed by it, but it could be very dangerous. Although Dumbledore's hoping for me to teach you control and the proper usage, it'll be difficult." He sighed. "Although I've mastered the special kind of magic I have (pg 843, book 5, last paragraph), nobody else in the world that we know of has a type of magic like yours. And nobody else has at least 3 evil wizards focused on kidnapping them and stealing their magic either."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 A Magnet Again

I stared at him in shock. It seems as though I've been doing a lot of staring at people lately.

The professor went on, "We'll experiment with what you can do later. For now, let's start with an exercise."

I nodded slowly.

He explained, "Concentrate on doing a certain thing. Don't try to make a portal. Try something simpler such as moving a book with your mind. Okay? Ready? Try it."

I concentrated on a book floating. I could see it in my minds eye. I heard a gasp. Was it working? I eagerly opened my eyes, but to my disappointment all the books were staying put. Professor Potter was staring at me, openmouthed as if her were frozen. My vision began to fade. I heard a shout. The classroom dripped out of sight. Blackness then overtook me.

I opened my eyes but still saw nothing. Something hard slammed into my stomach. I grunted, clutching my stomach so I wouldn't barf.

"Don't kick it." Growled a man's voice. "He wants her in good condition. Just pick up the sack and let's scram." Someone lifted me into the air. I once again had to keep myself from throwing up. Now I knew I was in a sack, but how?

"How did you get me?" I tried to ask. I can only say I tried because no sound came form my mouth. I screamed. No noise.

"I guess this portal magnet thing really does work then. The boss wasn't lying." Said a second voice that sounded like a gangster.

So that was how they got me. I must've created a portal by accident. I felt a jolt of fear. I had to get back to Hogwarts! The man which these kidnappers work for must've been one of the 3 evil wizards after my magic. Was that even possible? I almost laughed. Anything was possible. Why in less then a month I had gone from a book-loving muggle girl to a girl with magnificent powers straight out of a Harry Potter book. Then a though I hadn't considered came to mind. What if this was all a dream? After all, I had always longed for adventure. Couldn't my imagination create my dearest wish in a dream?

The guy carrying me threw me over his shoulder. My teeth banged together with extreme pain. It wasn't as intense as the pain in my arm though, which had hit something and felt useless and broken.

"Hey! She hit me!" Complained the man carrying me.

"So hit her back then."

His hand slapped me harder then a baseball hitting a window and breaking it. Coincidentally, he hit me right on my weak spot, my broken arm. I cried out in pain, but no noise came out of my mouth. Tears were streaming down my face. Once again I was helpless.

I sat huddled and bunched up, crying for about half and hour. Nobody spoke. Only footsteps, which were barely audible, could be heard. Finally, I was placed gently down onto the floor. I reached up with my good hand (luckily it was my right one) and tried to find a knot or a hole in the sack. There was nothing I could get to form the inside. I couldn't even poke through the sack because the material was so thick.

A portal! The second the thought entered my mind I knew what I had to do. Why hadn't I thought of it before? I concentrated on making a portal. With no image to go by, all I got was headache. But charms class! I remembered how I had seen the room and was instantly there. I pictures Professor Potter's room. A second later I felt myself flying through nothingness.

Then, with a grunt, I found myself kneeling on hard ground with the wind knocked out of me. Someone grabbed my shoulders.

"I thought I said don't make a portal! Are you okay? What happened?"

I forced myself to open my eyes and found Professor Potter kneeling in front of me looking concerned. Behind him I glimpsed Dumbledore and two ladies. One was in her 20s or so with long, bushy brown hair. The other was tall and slim with less bushy brown hair and deep-as-a-well brown eyes. They both looked worried.

"Ashley, what happened?" Professor Potter's voice shook me back to reality.

Staring at nothing, open-mouthed, I shook my head. "I…I'm not sure!" I stuttered. "Some guys…a magnet…in a sack…what happened? I made a portal…? I rambled on, so very unsure of what I was saying.

"Start back at the beginning." Said Dumbledore, calmly.

So I explained, best I could, what had happened.

The bushy brown haired girl gave a weak laugh when I had finished. "Sounds almost like your life, Harry."

"Hermione, stop." He said, distracted.

'Hermione!' I thought. 'I can't believe I'm in the same room as my idol! But who's the other lady…?'

"It's okay, Ashley." Said Dumbledore, reassuringly, his eyes serious. "You just need to be more careful."

"Who was that?" I asked, my thoughts still confusing.

"The man who summoned you?" Asked Dumbledore faintly. "Probably one of the 3 known wizards after your magic. I'm not sure how they all know. Something about the prophecy told them, I guess. I don't yet know the exact words. The wizards after you? Oh yes, the first one is a lunatic practically. He is referred to in the prophecy you're mentioned in as the "One with the laugh." Very odd name, isn't it?" Dumbledore sighed. "If only I knew the whole prophecy."

"Go on, professor. Who are the other wizards?" Asked Hermione.

"Ah, yes. The second wizard is the "One who does nothing." He's the one who had others do everything for him. Except for plotting, of course."

I nodded. "That was probably the one whose men just…took, me. The "One with the laugh" would be the one right after the Charms class."

Dumbledore nodded. "The third is the One whose father fell." He supposedly will try to take revenge on the student of his former rival."

Harry laughed. "Sounds like it could be Malfoy."

Dumbledore eyed him knowingly.

The tall and slim girl with the straight brown hair and the deep eyes, who seemed to be unnoticed by everyone else in the room, stepped back quietly, her eyes widening.

"Oddly enough, Draco Malfoy hasn't been heard from in weeks. And no-one knows where he is."

Harry choked. "You mean…?"

Dumbledore replied solemnly, "Yes. The third wizard may as well be Mr. Malfoy. He would've been the first wizard to summon Ashley. Or, if I call her by her name in the prophecy, the "One who can save us all or grant to evil, horrible power.""


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

My jaw dropped. It really did. My name in the prophecy was the "One who could save us all or grant evil horrible power"? What did it mean?

"Whoa." Whispered Hermione in awe.

"Yeah." I agreed, still in shock. "Whoa."

Dumbledore stood abruptly. "I probably should have waited. An eleven year old shouldn't have to worry about things like this…"

"She's better off knowing." Interrupted Potter. "At least she'll know what's going on."

Dumbledore sighed. "There's no taking it back now, anyway. Let's go to my office. There's someone I want Ashley to meet."

Harry, Hermione and I walked through the door as Dumbledore held it open for us. He let go before the other lady went through.

"What about the other lady in there?" I asked.

"Who?" Said Dumbledore, surprised.

"The one with straight-ish brown hair and she's pretty tall…"

"Emma!" Accused Dumbledore angrily, slamming open the door that had just swung closed. "I told you to stay in my office! You shouldn't have followed me."

Harry and Hermione gave me questioning looks as if to say "Who's he talking to."

They glanced up and their eyes widened.

"Sorry Professor." Said the lady, speaking for the first time.

Dumbledore groaned. "Ashley, this is Emma. She can also help you with your powers. She can make herself invisible. Unfortunately, she MISUSES THE PRIVELAGE!"

Emma winced guiltily. "Sorry." She whispered.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyone know what time it is?"

Harry glanced at his watch. "Almost 10. We'd all better get some rest."

Dumbledore nodded. "Good idea Harry. If you don't mind, could you and Emma try to give Ashley another lesson tomorrow night? Lessons will be more infrequent once Ashley's stopped getting herself into trouble, but for now I think every night or every other night would be a good idea."

"Fine with me." Said Harry, glancing at Emma. "You?"

"Sure." Said Emma confidently. "Tomorrow night."

Then we all went to bed. Sorina was still awake when I climbed into my four-poster.

"What happened?" She asked quietly.

"I'll tell you tomorrow." I mumbled, hoping that tomorrow I could be more normal then I was today.

Unfortunately, I hoped wrong.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"So what happened?" Asked Sorina. "Why'd you come back to the tower so late?"

I sighed. This could take a while. Careful not to scare Sorina too much, I told everything that happened with almost perfect detail. The horror I felt at being kidnapped. The pain in my arm and how Madam Pomfrey had fixed it. About my shock when I heard the parts f the prophecy. When I was done, I looked up.

Sorina's eyes were wide open and her jaw was hanging down.

"Sorina, please don't hate me!" I cried desperately. "I can't help it! I'm trying to get better though, I really am."

She realized she was staring and shook her head. "Malfoy, granting evil horrible powers, all that! It's crazy! I can't believe…I mean…I'm here for you." She finished determinedly.

I gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks."

"No problem." She replied. "No problem at all. I mean, I'll get used to the whole portal thing. Thanks for trusting me." She said.

"You're welcome." I said sincerely. "Without you, I don't know if I could take it. I'm too much of a freak as it is with all this portal nonsense. What I really need now is a friend."

Sorina nodded. Then laughing, she said, "This is starting to sound like a soppy love story."

I smiled in agreement. "You're right. Wanna play chess?"

Sorina narrowed her eyes. "You're going down." She said, like one of the cowboys in those old western movies.

"This town ain't big enough for the both of us." I replied, the same way.

Laughing, we got out a chess board and set up the pieces. Thankfully there were no classes that morning. I just hoped that this chess was like the type Ron was so good at.

After playing a few rounds of chess (which WAS like the type in the HP books), we went downstairs to get breakfast, although it was really lunchtime. We sat down at the Gryffindor table, chatting about how cool Hogwarts was.

Professor Potter (I should just say Potter, shouldn't I? Harry did.) came over to me. "Ashley, tonight at 9 we'll meet you on the seventh floor, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by trolls." He explained.

"Why?" I asked, confused. It sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it.

"Just be there. We're going to teach you in a special room. A very special room."

My eyes must've lit up. Which room? The Room of Requirement? The room where Harry saw the Mirror of Erised first. WHERE!

Potter returned to the teachers table.

"What was that about?" Asked Sorina. "The lessons, duh, but why a special room? What's wrong with the classrooms?"

I sighed. "Have you ever read the Harry Potter series?" I asked her.

Sorina laughed. "You mean the story of Professor Potter's life that Professor Rowling wrote so muggles would think that any thing they found out about our world was for the books and movies? Of course not. Why would I need to? I'm sure it'd be interesting. I heard they're almost completely true."

"Well, maybe you should read them." I said, secretively. "There are some things that, if they're true, are probably not what you expected from him."

Sorina rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Maybe I will, someday. Hurry up! I need to finish my Potions report."

I groaned. "Don't remind me. Why'd she have to give us homework on the first day of school?"

"I know." Agreed Sorina. "She's such a warthog"

I sighed. "Animal?"

She giggled. "Sorry. It's just something you'll have to get used to."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I was careful not to think of any place other then where I was at that exact moment. All day, I was afraid I would make a portal accidentally and be considered even more of a freak. 'Poor Harry.' I thought to myself after another first year girl backed away from me as if I were a werewolf or something scary. Now I knew how he had felt in his second year at Hogwarts. By the end of the day I had had it!

"Leave me alone, you jerks!" I shouted at a bunch of Slytherin 3rd years that had cornered me, asking 'how the heck I had done that crazy magic inside Hogwarts.' I pushed past them and ran up to Gryffindor tower, determined to skip the rest of my classes.

On my mad rush up the stairs I saw Emma slowly coming down. By then it was too late to stop running. I crashed into her and we went tumbling down the stairs, rolling over and over. We ended up tangled under a giant tapestry at the foot of the stairs.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

Emma gave me a strict look. "You shouldn't be up there. You're supposed to be in class."

I looked away, feeling ashamed. "I just wanted to get away from everyone."

Emma sighed. "Getting away from everyone is one thing but running away from your problems is another. Listen, I know everyone's teasing you, but you've got to get over it! Learn to control your portals and everyone will forget about it by next week. If you keep making portals by accident though, you will be considered freaky and there'll be nothing you can do about that."

I wiped a tear from my eye. "Sorry." I mumbled, staring at my feet

She put her arm over my shoulder. "It's okay, Ashley."

"Sorry, I'm just not used to this…world. I was normal and then that, that THING happened!" I sobbed.

Emma patted me supportingly on the back. "Relax. If you work hard on your special lessons, then you'll be fine. Okay?"

I nodded, crying less then I was before. "Sorry."

She squeezed my shoulder. "It's fine. You'd better get to class now."

I picked up my books and went down to History of Magic. When I sat down in my seat (Binns never noticed that I was missing), Sorina patted me on the back. I smiled, weakly. It was good at least to have friends. I knew that Sorina and Emma would always be there for me.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A month went by and by going to my special lessons every Friday, my control grew steadily better (I still hadn't realized what was so special about the room though). Others began to stop teasing me. Stella and Nicole became my friends also, although Sorina was always my best friend. I, Ashley Doyles, finally became a normal a witch as I possibly could be.

I advanced through my first month at Hogwarts with almost no more problems. The work was hard, but with Sorina's help we were both able to finish every assignment on time. I practiced the few spells we had already learned until I could do them without even thinking. I never really got any better at potions. Sorina always had to read Liatrix's handwriting. As long as I didn't call any attention to myself in that class, life was great!

As I entered the room that had been laid aside for my "special magic" lessons, I saw Professor Potter looking thoughtfully at some parchment he was holding, his eyebrows furrowed. He had a quill in his hand and was waving it as if he were trying to think.

"Hello." I greeted brightly.

Potter glanced up and then looked back down. "Hello Ashley." he sighed and put down the parchment and quill. "Have you seen Emma lately?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Not since last week's lesson." Usually I would bump into her in the hall once or twice. This week I hadn't.

"Hmmm." he said, obviously distracted.

"Why?" I asked.

He looked back up. "Oh, no reason. I think Dumbledore said she was sick. I wasn't sure if she had gotten better. Ready to start?"

I shrugged. "I guess."

"Good." He strode over as I sat down at a desk. "You've been practicing clearing your mind every night. It shows. You haven't lost control at all lately."

I grinned at his almost compliment. Although I still thought he was cute, I was no longer crazy about him. It's hard to be in love with your teacher.

"Now it is time to take the next step," he continued. "I want you to actually make a portal. No, not yet. Start when I say 'begin'. First I want to tell you how to control it and not be…magnetized."

I winced. I hadn't had any problems with the three evil wizards since the first time I had my first lesson with Potter.

"I want you to imagine there is a brick wall guarding your mind. See it if you can." I tried this. "I would have suggested trying to completely clear your mind, but you use your powers by thinking of another place, right?"

I nodded, answering, "I have to see the place in my mind's eye to be there. But it might be hard to imagine the wall _and_ the place."

He looked thoughtful at this. "Maybe…never mind. How about you try to imagine the place behind the wall? Would that work?"

I closed my eyes, then immediately opened them. "I would try, but I don't want to go anywhere. What if it doesn't work though? Somehow They could catch me again!"

Potter put his hand on my shoulder. "There's only one way to find out."

I took a deep breath.

"Okay." I closed my eyes, imagining the Gryffindor common room. Quickly, I made myself see a transparent brick wall between the room and me.

Suddenly, I was there. But somehow, it wasn't the same as the other times. I looked down and gasped. My feet were floating 4 feet off the floor. I took a deep breath and raised my hand. It was nearly transparent. Feeling faint, I tried to sit down on my bed. Without control, I slid through it. I choked back a scream. I was sitting through my bed. Half of my body was above, and half was below. I breathed deeply again and stood up. I slid up with no problems. I waved my hand through some books that Stella had left sitting on her desk. My hand went through them. "Whoa." I whispered, hoping that I could always get back to my original state of body.

The door slammed open. Stella and Nicole walked in, chatting about a cute Ravenclaw boy named Michael. I waited for them to see me and begin shrieking. Somehow though, neither of them saw me. In fact, Stella was staring right through me. She reached for her books that were behind me. I rushed to move to the side, but I was just not quick enough. My hand came into contact with Stella's. She yelped and pulled back. Her eyes were wide and searching. She couldn't see me? Her hand had gone right through mine and she couldn't even see me.

Nicole gave her an odd look. "What?" She asked.

Stella stared at her books, and then shook her head. Never mind. Just a chill." She gave me one last look and took her books. The two raced from the room, chatting about Michael again.

I took a deep breath and imagined myself in Potter's room again, again behind a brick wall. But this time I added my body to the image I was seeing.

In a flash, I was back in Potter's room and I was solid again. Excitedly, I told Professor Potter what had happened.

When I was finished, he told me, "Your body had stayed here. I tried to wake you, but nothing happened."

I was jumping with pleasure now. "This is so neat!" I cried.

Potter gave me a stern look. "Ashley, you have to be careful. Don't misuse you powers in any way. Understand?"

I shrugged, put down a little bit. It would've been fun to spy on Stella and Nicole; maybe even my parents. "I won't. Can I go now?"

He rolled his eyes. "Go ahead. We've gotten far enough for one day. But please me mature, Ashley. Be responsible."

I giggled. "With great power comes great responsibility." I said, quoting Spiderman.

He looked me in the eye. "Exactly."

I laughed and left, knowing that the Boy-Who-Lived was solemnly sitting behind me, hoping I wouldn't get myself into trouble.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I told Sorina about the experiment and we both shrieked with excitement. I think she may have been a little bit shocked, but she was getting used to the oddness of me.

"So, what are you going to do with your powers? Find out the answers to a quiz or test?" asked Sorina excitedly.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not allowed. I'm supposed to be 'responsible'. How am I supposed to get any better with my powers if I can't even use them?"

"Whatever." Sorina replied. "At least you _have_ them."

After that, we got back to work.

"Drat." I muttered a few minutes later. "I left my potions essay in the library. I'll be right back."

"Okay." Answered Sorina, too wrapped up in her astrology chart to really be listening.

I got up and exited the portrait hole (the fat lady was preoccupied and told me that I'd "better be back soon or else." I snuck down to the library, the school quiet and dark. I hoped that Peeves wouldn't come out of nowhere and attack me, not that I'd seen or even heard about him in the reality of Hogwarts. Maybe he had just been made up for the muggle stories.

I reached the library and was about to go in when I remembered that my work could also be hidden under the junk on my four-poster. I groaned, but tried to open the library door anyway. Maybe it _was_ here. I didn't want to waste my time going up and down the stairs just in case.

The door was locked. I snarled at it. It was way too late to be fighting a door. "Open you dumb thing! Alohamora!" I tried to open it again. It wouldn't budge. I slumped against the wall. Maybe…. I stood up again. I closed my eyes, facing the door and imagined the library behind a brick wall. If I could see if my work was in there in the first place, a lot of my time could be saved.

I was floating above the shelves. There were so many books from up here! Thousands maybe!

"She's in danger now! She has to be more careful!" I floated towards a small alcove in the upper corner of the library. It was a little area that the librarian used to oversee the library. There were steps that led up to it. I floated over and saw Rowling, Dumbledore and Potter all standing there in their normal clothes. Why were they in the library at this time? I sheepishly thought of my non-moving body sitting outside the doors. Never mind. I wondered who they were talking about.

"She can do almost anything now. She could change the outcome of the world even!" Potter continued. Knowing that they couldn't see me, I wandered closer. Were they talking about me?

"Harry, calm yourself. I doubt she's that much of a danger. You just need to relax…"

"No! Trust me." Potter begged, interrupting Dumbledore. "She has got to learn control soon or, or…"

"Potter, listen to yourself. How much harm can an eleven yea old girl do?" commanded Rowling.

I floated as near as I would dare to, sure that it was me they were talking about.

He took a deep breath. "She can float around the castle invisibly with nobody even knowing. From what I've guessed, her powers could act up at any moment and bring her to the…evil wizards. Dumbledore, we've got to learn the whole prophecy. If it says that she can grant power to evil or good, then we have to figure out how to keep her on the good side!"

Dumbledore sighed. "I've been trying to learn the prophecy, Harry. It's like it was never recorded. People know about how Merlin's wand's new owner is powerful, how could they not, but no one seems to know the whole prophecy together."

Rowling sighed. "There has to be something we can do."

Dumbledore nodded. "Perhaps there is, but for now let's just treat her like a normal student. She hasn't lost control lately, has she?"

Potter shook his head.

"Then we are doing the best we can."

Potter nodded, hopelessly. "I sure hope she doesn't go to the evil side."

Dumbledore put his hand on Potter's shoulder. "I hope so too."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Almost in shock, I returned myself to my body and hurried upstairs. So what if I didn't have my work. It was probably on my bed anyway.

I ran through the portrait hole to the Gryffindor common room and threw myself onto a chair, almost crying. I was just a plaything for the Hogwarts teachers. A bomb that could go off any moment on either side of Good or Evil. I was just an object to be controlled by one of the sides. I half wished that I was still a muggle, at home in my muggle house with my muggle problems and my muggle life. Why did I have to be some kind of freak? I sobbed into my hands as quietly as I could.

"Ashley?" asked a voice from behind me. Without turning, I knew it was Sorina. She came and sat down next to me. I told her what I had heard, in whispers just in case another student was down here. She patted my back sympathetically. I felt like such a baby, crying my eyes out. I wiped my tears off my face and stood up.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"It's okay." She replied. "C'mon. Let's go to bed. It's already 10:00. You can do your work tomorrow." We went upstairs, both thinking the same thing. "What have I gotten myself into?"

The next day, we both acted as if nothing had happened. Stella obnoxiously asked us why we hadn't been in bed when we were supposed to. I told her to bug off and Nicole giggled.

We all talked like crazy about everything we could ever want to. It was like I finally had friends again. I didn't tell Stella and Nicole anything about my portal powers, but I did explain some other stuff about myself. Like the fact that I thought Harry was a hot teacher. Nicole and Stella, giggling some more, agreed. Sorina, however, frowned.

Later she said to me, "It seems weird that you have a crush on Professor Potter. I mean, he's a TEACHER! He even saved the world. You can't just have a crush on him. Besides, I think he's engaged already." She finished desperately.

I was a bit surprised to hear that. "To who?" I asked. It was a thing that any Harry Potter fan would love to know. Harry and Ginny? Harry and Hermione? Harry and Luna? WHO!

Sorina shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't really listen to those kinds of things."

I rolled my eyes.

We walked down to breakfast. At the Gryffindor table we sat, impatient for the food to appear. We were somewhat early, but not early enough to be there before the teachers, who were usually there before the students so that they could finish with enough time to prepare for their lessons. I scanned the teachers table and whispered to Sorina, "Look. Professor Potter isn't there. I wonder where he is."

Sorina gave an exasperated sigh. "It doesn't matter, Ashley. Just forget it." We waited for a while until the other students had mostly all trickled in and the food had appeared. I had glanced up at the teachers table a few times and Potter still wasn't there. Was he skipping breakfast or something?

Suddenly, the owls began to fly in through the windows. Everyday since my first day there, this had always made me jump. One of the owls. A magnificent white one, flew down and landed in front of me. It ruffled its beautiful feathers impatiently. I gasped at it's amazing looks.

Sorina nudged me. "Aren't you going to take the letter?" Snapping back to attention, I released the owl from it's package. It flew away and back outside. I opened the letter carefully. It was a short note saying:

"Ashley,

Meet me in the room again tonight. I want to explore something else with your magic. Hopefully Emma will be there this time.

Professor Potter"

I folded up the note and tucked it safely away into my bag. Later tonight I could handle. We had finished the potions essay (it had been on my bed the whole time) so that was one less thing to worry about. Since it was a Saturday, I could finish any homework I had left from this past week tomorrow.

Sorina and I spent the day lounging by the lake, finishing some small homework assignments, and looking wishfully at the quidditch field. While I had never actually had the chance to ride a broomstick yet, I couldn't wait until Wednesday, out first Quidditch lesson. It happened to be with the Slytherins (some things never change), but they weren't as bad as they had been in the Harry Potter books. True, Flora Marigold still was stuck up and acted like I had stolen her owl, but overall it wasn't so bad. The Ravenclaw quidditch team had been practicing. We decided to go over and watch them for a bit. They were good. They made incredibly sharp turns and flew to amazing heights. I wanted so much to fly like them some day.

That evening, I returned to the room where I usually had my portal lessons. Potter was there, and this time so was Emma.

"What do you mean, you forgot!" Potter yelled at Emma.

Emma blushed. "I'm sorry. I was on a date and…, well, it lasted longer then I thought it would and…sorry."

"You missed something incredibly important, you…," his face was turning red now. He turned sharply and saw me standing in the doorway. He relaxed. "I'm sorry Ashley. I was just telling Emma that she shouldn't have skipped last night. Now, let's return to…" Just then, Rowling poked her head in the door.

"Harry, I'd like to have a word with you. It'll be quick." She said. Harry nodded and walked out with her.

Emma sighed. "Sorry I forgot about last night. I was on a date."

"I heard," I replied, grinning. "With who?"

Emma began to blush and a smile appeared mischievously on her face. "Ron Weasley." She giggled.

My jaw must've dropped. I was smiling and thinking "OH MY GOD!", but that didn't matter. Emma just looked at me and began laughing at the look on my face. Just then, Potter reentered the room looking furious.

"YOU WENT OUT WITH RON?" he shouted.

Emma winced. "Yep."

Potter stood there, speechless. I looked at them both and burst into laughter. What an evening this would be.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

That lesson was spent mostly just trying to calm Potter down about his co-teacher going out with is best friend. I must admit though, it was very amusing! At the end of the lesson we had accomplished nothing and I was allowed to return to my room. I considered trying to portal back, but decided not to risk it. I still didn't know how to do it correctly without getting captured.

"Hey Sorina," I called as I threw my school stuff onto an un-used desk and collapsed into a big red armchair.

"Hey," she replied, her mind obviously on other things. I glanced over to see what she was doing and was surprised to see that she was staring at her open potions book, but not actually reading it.

"What up?" I asked her.

She gave me a strange look, "huh? The sky?"

I sighed. Sometimes it was hard being American in an English school. "What's going on?" I asked, exasperatedly.

"Oh, nothing," she responded.

I shrugged at opened my potions book. About had way through the page I got stuck. "Hey Sorina, what's the most important ingredient in a hair growth potion?"

She didn't hear me.

"Sorina?" I asked, getting up. I glanced over her shoulder and gasped.

Then, slowly, I stopped and returned to normal, acting as odd as Sorina had. And just as zombie-like. Or should I say, just as hypnotized.


	17. Chapter 17, 18, and 19

Chapter 17

The book was a hypnotizer. We sat there for who knows how long. Finally, a spirit seemed to enter the room. In my mind's eye I could see a greedy smile within the invisible evil presence. "So I caught my hook and my hook caught my catch," it jeered. Somehow, just because of it's presence in the room, I could tell that whoever this was, whatever it was, it had used it's malicious book to lure Sorina and then when I realized something was wrong it would capture me it's mesmerizing gaze also. As much as we both wanted to move or do something, we were helpless.

I felt my body being lifted off my feet, and knew that the same was happening to Sorina. We floated for a few seconds, and then seemed to touch down on solid floor. Immediately, I regained power over my body. I stumbled and quickly stopped myself. Glancing at Sorina, I found her to be paralyzed with fear.

The room we were in was dark and almost completely in shadows. It looked somewhat familiar. Was it the crazy evil wizard's lair? It sure seemed like it.

"Who and where are you?" I asked as clearly and calmly as I could. I had suspected that there would be another attempt at capturing me, but I never thought that Sorina would be captured too. I waited for a reply, but to my dismay I heard none.

Sorina whimpered. I gave her a questioning look and saw she was looking incredibly scared. She gave me a desperate gaze as she breathed in low, shallow breaths.

"Calm down, Sorina. We'll be okay. I promise I can get us out of this. I'm going to try something. If anything happens, shake me until I answer." I took a deep breath. I hoped I could do this.

"Wait," Sorina interrupted, sounding like a lost child. "Is this place…one of the evil 3 wizards places? I…" She sounded as scared as a person facing a life or detah decision. I put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Relax. I'll be right back." With that, I shut my eyes and imagined Dumbledore's office behind a semi-transparent brick wall.

With a whoosh of air, I was there (hey a poem!) and I saw Dumbledore pacing. Potter burst in the door and stomped over to him!

"She could be spying on us for heavens sake! We've got to figure out how she can control her powers! She's not mature enough to use them correctly and honestly, Emma's not a great role model. I mean, missing a lesson in order to go out with my best friend. SERIOUSLY!!!!!" he shouted in a rage!

"Harry, calm down," Dumbledore ordered the angry teacher. "We'll work it out. We have bigger problems now. Look at this." He handed Potter a letter.

He angrily grabbed it and looked down. Almost instantly he went pale. "Emma," he gasped, mouth open in shock. I tried to float closer to see what it read but stopped myself. I had a bigger problem right now. I just hoped it would work.

"Dumbledore!" I shouted as loud as I could.

Dumbledore glanced up as if he had heard a small far off voice. Then he shook his head and looked down.

I tried again. "Professor Dumbledore and Professor Potter!' I shouted even louder."

Potter jumped. "Did you hear that?" he asked Dumbledore incredulously.

Dumbledore nodded. "It sounded like Ashley. I… Ashley are you in here…in a matter of speaking?"

"YES!" I shouted back.

Potter shook his head in amazement. "Where are you?" he asked.

I ignored him and tried to explain to Dumbledore my situation. After all, I could only yell so much before I lost my voice. Even in this creepy spirit-like form I still could wear out my throat.

Dumbledore alertly nodded and took notes. He immediately grabbed his wand and a mirror and walked out the door.

I guessed that he was heading to the Gryffindor common room to see what he could do.

"He's probably going to the Gryffindor Tower." Harry explained, being unable to see the understanding on my face. As I felt someone shaking my physical body, I rolled my invisible eyes and shouted one last bye.

Right before I left I thought I heard him mutter, "I guess I'd better go save Emma." He almost sounded love struck and awkward. I immediately dismissed that though. He already had Hermione to be in love with…and Emma had Ron. Right?

Instantaneously, I was back in the dark place with Sorina frantically shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes and scanned our surroundings. Still darkness but we could hear footsteps coming from one area of it.

"I'm here." I whispered to Sorina.

"Footsteps!" she cried, softly!

"Then it's the crazy one. Shh. We have to be careful." I told her.

"I know," she said. "That I definitely do know."

Chapter 18

"Could you portal us away?" Sorina asked.

I slowly shook my head, trying to be inconspicuous as the dark figure walked menacingly closer. He was still in shadows. "I would just get us caught by another evil wizard, and I don't even think I can portal anyone other then myself. For now, we're doomed. At least this wizard isn't smart enough to kill us right away. He'll probably act like a total idiot for a while then toy with us and threaten us a whole lot. By then, hopefully, Dumbledore will have found a way to get us out of this mess."

Sorina took a deep breath and, as calmly as she could, told me, "There's another way for us to get out. I'm not sure if it'll work but it might be our only hope. We have to…"

She was cut off by a maniacal voice saying, "So, my fish, now I've caught you. Who knows how well I can rule the world now?" he chuckled, evilly. Then he added madly, "Though I know that I soon will." He began to laugh evilly. "MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Sorina gave me a look as if to say 'what an idiot.'

His laughter was cut off abruptly. "No. I am no longer going to be the crazy one. I am going to be the all powerful overlord.

The man stepped into the light and Sorina gasped. I just squeezed my eyes tight. What kind of mess had I gotten us into? Why did I have to be such a "different" witch?

The short, fat wizard with the insane gleam in his eyes grabbed my arm, roughly. I screeched as I was yanked forward onto my knees. The evil wizard's rough hands tied a scratchy rope around my ankles and wrists. What a nightmare! This was like a bad dream.

He proceeded to covering my sight. I saw him raising a blindfold and tried to squirm out of my bindings. I couldn't. I was helpless. This unbearable torture continued as he tied to blindfold in front of my eyes.

"Sorina, help!" I cried. Just as soon, a gag was tied over my mouth. I couldn't make a sound.

I heard her shriek and then heard nothing else. He had done something to my ears to make all sound unhearable.

I felt myself being lifted up, but I was helpless. He had prevented 3 of my 5 senses. I could no longer see, hear, or taste in addition to not being able to talk. I could only feel and smell. Smelling wouldn't be any help, except for the damp smell of the dark room we were in. Not that I could tell it was still dark as I couldn't even see anything anyway.

I was slammed into a hard something and felt my neck buckle against the pressure. My head drooped forward and I no longer had the strength or determination to lift it. I had given up all hope. I knew somehow that the evil wizard was preparing to drain me of my portal powers.

I then realized that it didn't even matter anymore if I portaled. I would have to leave Sorina but I could probably make it back. If I portaled off to another of the evil wizards, I would be safe from having my powers drained. The other evil wizards would have to realize I was there, wouldn't they? Hopefully my bonds wouldn't portal with me although I had a bad feeling they would.

I clenched my jaw and imagined Dumbledore's office. Somehow, I did not feel the atom-tingling sensation of portaling. I tried again, this time imagining my four-poster at Hogwarts. Once again, no success. I probably would've broken into tears if it weren't for my fear that my powers were already gone. What would that feel like? How would I know? Would it kill me to have my powers taken away? I sure hoped not.

Feeling hopeless and useless, I waited for my fate to befall me.

Chapter 19

I was chained to something, my hands at the top, my legs dangling at the bottom. The hard wall was still behind me. I probably looked like a prisoner in a medieval dungeon.

Even though my eyes were closed, I began to feel almost as if my body was…untingling. It was the opposite of when I made a portal! Oh no! My powers. I began to feel weak and faint. I would've cried out for help, but the gag stopped me from doing that.

In my mind, I saw darkness approaching. Death.

Almost fainting with the weakness, I began to feel sore all over. My body felt like it was being pulled apart, atom by atom. I screeched and…wait a second, screeched? As in actually made noise. I moved my jaw around as I realized the gag was gone. I was growing weaker by the second. I knew that unless I was freed from whatever was stealing my powers, I would die very soon.

Something yanked at my wrist and I felt a splintering feeling running down my arm. Tears welled up in my eyes.

Suddenly I was being pulled away from the darkness. My ragged breathing began to sound farther away and in moments, I was unconscious.


	18. Chapter 20, 21, and 22

Chapter 20

"Ashley? Ashley, hellooooooo?" I heard a voice above me fading in and out of reality. It sounded like Sorina. What was she doing?

Sorina!!!! The dungeon!!!! I sat up quickly and winced at the pain in my arm. I collapsed back down into the cot I was lying on.

"Where…am I?" I stuttered, wincing at the pain.

"Ashley, you're awake!!!" Sorina's voice cried.

I couldn't open my eyes because my arm hurt so much, but I remembered what had happened.

"Are my…powers…?" I asked weakly, unable to speak a full sentence.

"Let her rest! She's my patient! Out, out!" a commanding voice ordered. Madam Pomfrey?

"Wait…," I stuttered. "How did we...escape?" I winced after the word we because Madam Pomfrey was trying to prop me up into a sitting position. She reached for my arm to straighten me.

I gasped, clutching my broken arm. I couldn't breath and all I could see was little flicks of light inside my eyelids.

"Your friend, Miss Aborino, saved you. Now rest!!!" I was told by the strict nurse.

"But how…?" I was cut off by a large bottle of some type being forced into my mouth. I almost spit whatever it was out, it tasted so vile. I managed to chug it down and then felt myself drifting off into dreamland.

The next time I woke up, silvery blue eyes were glinting over me. I blinked a few times to clear my vision and Dumbledore's smile swam into view.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

I just looked up at him, unable to shake my head or speak.

He seemed satisfied, probably since Madam Pomfrey knew that I would be in that condition.

"What happened?" I eventually managed to croak.

Dumbledore, who had been whispering with Madam Pomfrey, turned to me and sat down on the end of my bed. "One of the wizards kidnapped you by hypnotizing Sorina, then you. He then managed to get you to his lair and, so Miss Aborino tells me, he chained you up to some kind of machine where you began to glow and grew paler and paler. Your friend yanked you off the wall and…well, I think it's up to her if she wants to tell you the rest."

"But she couldn't have pulled off those chains…" I started, trailing off.

"Couldn't she?" Dumbledore asked, with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

"I, I don't think so." I stuttered.

He patted my bed and then stood up. About to leave, he turned back as if he had forgotten to tell me something. "By the way, Madam Pomfrey thinks it would be best if you remained in the hospital wing for a few days."

I mentally groaned.

He smiled at me knowingly and then left the room.

Madam Pomfrey bustled over and began giving me all kinds of nasty potions for my arm, head, and my shock.

Speaking of shock, I was in for a lot of it tomorrow when I had a visit from Potter, Emma, and Sorina. What an odd combination. But it was one I'd have to get used to.

Chapter 21

I woke, groggily, the next day, wishing that I could go back to sleep.

Madam Pomfrey immediately bustled over to me. "You have visitors," she reported. "I told them to come back later but they keep insisting. Should I let them in?"

I shrugged, snuggling more into the rumpled blankets of the hospital wing cot.

She spun on her heel and soon returned with Potter, Emma, and Sorina.

'What the heck?' I thought, unsure why there would be such a group.

Emma leaned down on her knee and took my hand. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking me directly in the eyes.

"I guess so," I croaked. My voice still hadn't woken up, even if I had. "What happened?" I asked.

"I know you didn't loose your memory," Sorina pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. "I mean, how did we get out of there? How did we get back to Hogwarts?"

Harry gave Sorina a look that clearly said "It's up to you."

She sighed. "Where do I begin?" she asked desperately, glancing hopefully at Emma and Potter.

Potter put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "From the beginning," he suggested calmly, although it seemed a little too calm for all this mystery and secretively.

Sorina took a deep breath as though she were about to admit something big. "Okay," she gave in, speaking quietly and sadly. "I'll tell. It all started when I was born…"

Chapter 22

"It all started when I was born. I was unusual for a baby. I always seemed to be making animal noises…or doing something to do with animals. My parents considered this normal. My dad was, after all, a zookeeper. But then one day I was in my crib and my mom left the room for a bit. When she came back I was lying on the floor playing happily with my dolls and drooling all over the floor. She laughed nervously and put me back in my crib. This time she made sure the sides were on tight and that the top was too high for me to climb over. She quickly left to tell my dad that we might need a new crib. When she came back…"

"What does this have to do with how we escaped?" I interrupted.

Potter shushed me and motioned for Sorina to keep going.

Sorina sighed and went on. "When my mom came back I was once again on the floor of my room and my crib wasn't opened at all. My mom was suspicious so she put me in my crib. Covered the top, locked the side of the crib that could slide up and down, and pretended to leave. She kept the door open a crack and spied on me. She was freaking when she saw how I got out."

"How?" I asked.

"Please don't interrupt," she begged me. "It's hard enough to start. I was just getting to that anyway. My mom saw a show in me of a snake. I wasn't moving but the snake shadow surrounding me was. It stuck its tail outside of the crib, yanked off the lock and slid down the side of the crib. It then slithered out and changed to a monkey. All through this my normal, human appearance was just following the movements of the animal shadow with out even a trace of expression. The monkey me climbed onto the crib, slid the side back up, and scampered back to the middle of the floor. The shadow disappeared and I was sitting on the floor as a little baby, happily playing with my dolls."

I wanted to speak but decided against it. I could imagine how hard it would be for her to start up again. I still wasn't sure exactly what she was getting at but it seemed to be getting somewhere at least.

"My mom couldn't believe her eyes. So she walked into my room and played with me, ignoring the crib for a bit. Life went on and the animal shadow appeared a few more times. My dad saw it also and in time my parents decided that whatever it was, it couldn't be good. They decided to never tell anyone about the animal shadows and they raised me telling me that it was normal, but bad manners to talk about or do. I stopped doing it as often, but whenever I lost my temper or felt strong emotion, it came back again. It's been a secret from everyone but my parents and I've been hiding it all my life. I became afraid of it when I realized that in books or anywhere else it never happened. My parents told me the truth and I was shocked. I didn't know what was wrong with me! I was scared." She began to cry.

I leaned over and patted her on the back. She glanced up, thankfully at me.

"I was afraid I might hurt someone because I couldn't control it very well. When it happened, I didn't remember anything except being in one place one second and another place, the next. I found a way to find out what animal it was though. I think about my emotions at the time when I forget, and in my dreams I can see what I did. It's horrible!!! I'm such a freak!!! I never had any friends before Hogwarts because I was afraid they might hate me if they found out. I was friends with the animals in my dad's zoo and that was it. When I came to Hogwarts I didn't tell anyone, not even Dumbledore. I'm afraid, Ashley, I'm afraid. I don't know what's wrong with me and I hate it!! I hate myself for it!!! And you were my only friend. I didn't want to tell you because you might hate me too. So go ahead, hate me. There's nothing I can do about it know." Sorina burst into tears.

Emma and Potter exchanged an awkward, worried glance.

I hugged Sorina and asked her, "Why would I hate you? I have weird, unusual powers too. We're not that different Sorina. You've just known about it longer, I didn't know so I wasn't as afraid. But really, we're both afraid. We can be afraid together. I'll always be here for you. I couldn't ever hate you!!!"

Sorina sobbed and threw her arms around me. We hugged tightly. Talk about a sentimental moment. When I looked up, Potter had gone. Emma was sitting on the end of the bed, patting Sorina's shoulder.

"Maybe you should be our student, too. We can help you. Dumbledore would probably be fine with it. You were brave to tell Ashley and him what happened. Feel better, Ashley. And remember, Sorina, we won't ever hate you for being different."

With that Emma left.

Sorina wiped her dripping nose. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"For what," I asked, smiling a bit. "For not telling anyone because you didn't want to e a freak? For saving us both form the evil wizard? For being my friend? For what, Sorina, for what?"

"For crying I guess," she smiled up at me. "And there's more. You've been in the hospital wing for 2 days. I know exactly how we escaped now."

Trying not to seem too pushy and uncaring, I asked curiously, "How?"

"I turned into a bear when I saw that machine taking away your powers. You looked like you were dying."

"I was," I answered, sadly, wondering if my powers were still there? If not, that'd be great!! But if my normal witch powers were gone, would I have to return to being a muggle?

"Well, I got angry. I turned into a bear. The shadow ripped the chains off the wall and pulled you free. Then I turned back into myself and realized that I was holding your arm, and you were practically dead. I sighed and put you on my back like I was giving you a piggy back ride. I then imagined being angry at the evil wizard, who had run away from the bear me by then, and the shadow wolf appeared. I ran far as I could until I found a wizarding village. I'm not sure how far it was. Judging by the distance in the dream I'd say a couple hundred miles. I never could've run that far normally."

I laughed. "That's for sure."

Sorina grinned at me. "So I ran into a house, as a human, where this old wizard was eating breakfast. I told him that I needed to get to Hogsmeade. He made a portkey for me, which was probably illegal but under the circumstances the Ministry would understand, and when I reached Hogsmeade I dragged you up to the school. I sort of collapsed from the effort when I reached the great hall but Rowling happened to be walking by and she brought us up to the hospital wing and got Dumbledore. I told him about the animal shadows and he seemed to be okay with it. Madam Pomfrey gave me some chocolate and fixed me up. Stella and Nicole were curious about what happened but I wouldn't tell them. I came to visit you today and Professor Potter and Emma were here. You know what happened from there."

"Yeah." We sat in silence for a bit.

"What do you mean by shadow? Like a reflection?" I asked, finally.

"Not really. More like a faint but colored illusion of an animal surrounding me. Maybe if Emma and Harry can help me control it then you'll see. That sounded weird, didn't it? Calling a teacher by his first name. He told me to though."

I shrugged off that comment. Maybe I would get to see what Sorina meant by shadow later. Right then all I wanted to do was sleep. Sleep and think.


	19. Chapter 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Chapter 23

Sorina left me room. By the next morning I was desperate for her to come back. Who ever knew that the hospital wing could be so boring!!!!!!! I did have one visitor though, not that she really counted as a visitor. Another girl, a Ravenclaw 2nd year, was also brought into the hospital wing. She was moaning and tossing and turning on her cot. Apparently she had tripped down the stairs and broke her leg. I spoke to her for a bit, but once Madam Pomfrey gave her medicine to heal her leg, she went straight to sleep. The girl, Devlin, and I had talked about school a bit. It really wasn't very fun, but it did use up time. When she was sleeping, I laid there staring at the ceiling, completely bored.

I spent all day in utter boredom, waiting for something to happen, someone to come, or something to do. I wasn't tired so I couldn't sleep. I wished for my gameboy advanced SP which was lying in my muggle bedroom. A small smile then crept onto my face. Wishing for something to do; it was just like the old days when I thought myself only a muggle. It had seemed that even when I had everything in the world, I couldn't find even a single thing to occupy me. Nothing was on TV, I didn't feel like reading or playing a game, my favorite site was down, I didn't feel like playing computer. It was a funny thought. I was now in a place that I had always believed to be magical and constantly exciting, and I was bored and wishing for something from my muggle life. Besides, a muggle electronic wouldn't work at Hogwarts.

I had nothing better to do so I pulled out my notebook and a pencil (pencils are easier to write with then quills). I stared at it for a while, not knowing what was I doing with it anyway. I slowly lowered my pencil onto the paper…and began to write. I wrote about the swing and my first portal. I wrote about meeting the people I had thought only characters in well written stories. I wrote about my friends, classes, abductions, and everything. I wrote about Sorina, and my loneliness. I wrote about everything that had happened since that fateful day about 1 ½ months ago when I was on that swing that went round, and round, and upside down. Everything. I realized so much. I even realized that, in a way, I was having adventures. I was living an interesting life.

"Ashley?" a voice finally asked, just as I had finished writing about Sorina leaving me to think on that shadowy illusion animal that she turned into.

I looked up, drawing myself away from my writing. Away from my mesmerizing journal. "What?" I asked, whoever it was.

A hand drew back the curtains surrounding my hospital cot and peered in. It was Sorina.

"Hi," I said, my voice filled with relief. "Do you know how bored I've been? There is absolutely nothing to do in here except, well, write."

Sorina grinned a little bit, blushing. She gave me a small shrug. "How're you feeling?" she asked.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "I feel fine. I feel PERFECT even. There's nothing wrong with me. She should let me go now."

Sorina giggled a bit. But only a little. Why was she so nervous?

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

She looked up hopelessly at me.

I smiled and shrugged.

She sighed. "Okay, well, I sort of have a problem. Now that Dumbledore and you guys know my secret, my parents don't want anyone else to find out. They're…scared, I guess. So they want me to...," her eyes filled with tears, "…they want me to leave Hogwarts!"

I heard this and everything around me seemed to collapse. I slumped back onto my too white hospital pillows with only one thought in my head; "What a miserable day."

Chapter 24

"Ashley?" Sorina asked me.

I just laid against the pillows, eyes staring at the ceiling, blankly.

"Ashley, I will never let them make me switch schools. Not now. Not now that I finally have a friend. Don't' worry. We'll stay together." Sorina leaned forward and gave me a hug, but her words seemed more to reassure herself then to reassure me.

My mind was racing. If Sorina left, then I'd really be alone. I'd be with Stella and Nicole in the dormitory and while they'd be talking or doing homework, I'd have no one. In the middle of a class when the teacher did something funny, or I wanted to share something with a friend, Sorina wouldn't be there.

I couldn't let her leave.

"We'll figure something out," I said, practically talking to myself, patting my best friend on the back. "There has to be something we can do to keep you here. Right?"

Sorina sighed and wiped her eyes, quickly.

"Ashley?" asked a voice from outside the curtain surrounding my bed. Emma poked her head in.

"Hi," I greeted her, glumly.

"Hello. Ashley, madam Pomfrey says you can probably leave now. The shock of it's gone and you're all healed. And by the way, you have lessons with Harry and me tonight. And…," she stuttered, "Sorina, you're going to come too. Dumbledore wants you to learn control as well."

Sorina shrugged. "Okay." She lifted herself up from kneeling next to my bed and turned to Emma. "What time?"

"About 8 o' clock give or take a few minutes. Harry has something he wanted to do before and he has no clue how long it'll take. I gotta go now. See you guys there." She turned to leave, then paused. "Oh yeah. We're meeting in the same room we always do. I trust you'll show Sorina where it is, Ashley."

I nodded, then remembered something potter had said a month or go back. "Why do we always use that room? Professor Potter said there was something special about it but he never said what."

"Oh that? There's just something in that room that prevents people from dying from out of control magic. Nothing other then that. The room just keeps you from killing yourself or us." Emma told me matter of factly.

At that moment when she said that I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. To keep me from killing myself or others? That was horrible!!!! It was a good idea for experimenting, but was I really that dangerous to others? I had only wanted to be normal!!!

"Well, seeya," said Emma, leaving. She hadn't noticed the miserable look on my face. To her it must not have seemed that bad. I wondered then how she had been trained to use her own powers. Becoming invisible seemed much simpler then portals and projecting yourself who knows where but now in a solid form. I didn't know if she had any other powers but still…

I grumbled as I got out of the hospital cot. My legs were cramped from so much lying down. I did a few stretched to loosen up and then Sorina and I walked back up to the common room. Finally, I could be free of the awful hospital wing.

"Don't look so sad," Sorina told me. "Once you've hit rock bottom there's nowhere to go but up. Just think bird."

I smiled. "Animals," I grinned, muffling my laughter.

Sorina gave me a "whatever sort of look". Then together we laughed and climbed to our tower to relax until 8:00 that evening.

Chapter 25

"Hey Ashley and Sorina," called Stella as we reached Gryffindor tower. She was sitting in a large, red chair facing the window. On her lap was a pair of binocular like objects that she had obviously been using. The carrying strap was still wrapped around her hand. Stella motioned for us to come over, and then turned intently back to the window. She dreamily let out a sigh, her thin, wispy hair settling onto her shoulder as if it were relaxing. "Isn't he adorable?" she asked us as we came over.

"Who?" asked Sorina, gently moving a pile of books off a nearby chair, and dragging it over.

"Toni Berrnstein. He's the Gryffindor keeper," she replied, her eyes on a single Quidditch player on the field, and her face settling into an expression of pure happiness, and love.

'God!' I thought. 'When Stella gets a crush, she really goes overboard.'

I glanced at Sorina, and grinned sneakily. Sorina was biting her lip, to keep herself from snickering at Stella's foolishness. Sorina saw me watching her and smirked at me. Then she rolled her eyes.

"Bye," I cried quickly, running up the stairs to our dormitory. Once there I collapsed onto my four-poster and laughed. Sorina soon joined me in cracking up.

"She was so googly eyes. I bet she just likes him because he plays quidditch. He has absolutely no brains at all, only looks," she chortled.

"She probably couldn't play it for her life," I joked. Then I stopped. "Hey Sorina, do you know anyone here with a broom?" I asked her.

She gave me a strange look. "Yeah. Why?"

"Well, you see, I've never played quidditch before….and it looks like fun. I was sort of wondering…," I blushed, feeling stupid at my seemingly random request.

Sorina shrugged. "No problem. I know a second year Ravenclaw whose brother owns a comet260. For your first time on a broom it should be pretty good. Y'don't wanna start out too big, I always say."

"Since when have you said that?" I asked, exaggerating rolling my eyes.

Sorina put her arm over my shoulder. "Since just a few seconds ago, but whatever."

I laughed, and we exited the room to go find a broom for me to ride.

Chapter 26

"Sorina, are you sure I can do this?" I asked, unsure. We were out on the quidditch pitch and I had successfully sat on the broom. Unfortunately, that was about all I had done.

"Relax," she laughed. "You'll be fine. And if not...well, the quiddithc pitch is soft." She grinned at me. I didn't find it funny.

I took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing." I said. "Up." I lifted the front of the broom and it sped up into the air. The breezes brushing against my face made me feel crisp and clean. I smiled as I closed my eyes. It didn't feel like I was flying. It felt like I was simply sitting on air. I returned my mind to reality and turned the broom slightly to the right. The sleekness of the broom, and the magic on it perhaps, made the turn take almost no effort from me. I was surprised at how easy this seemed.

"Trying coming back down a bit!" shouted Sorina.

I took another breath and shot towards the ground. Halfway down the broom started to shake a bit. 'What if it crashes?' I thought, suddenly struck by fear. 'The only other person out here is Sorina and she doesn't know much magic either.'

The broom rocketed off making crazy, twitching movements as if trying to throw me off.

Sorina was on the ground yelling for me to do something. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear what the something was so I had no clue what to do. I tried to push the broom's front towards the ground, thinking 'I can do this. I can do this. Don't get scared, Ashley, you can do this.'

I managed to make my shaky way to the ground. As soon as my toes touched the grass I hopped off, breathing harshly and shaking my head.

"Never again," I said, out of breath. "Never ever _ever _again."

Sorina winced. "You lost control. It happens when people try to fly for the first time. They get scared that they won't do it right and then the broom will get a mind of it's own."

I sat down on a bench and took a breather. "Professor Potter didn't have that problem the first time he flew."

Sorina rolled her eyes. "From what I've heard, Professor Potter had his mind on other things when he first rode a broomstick. Mind you, he still is an amazing flyer!!! He refs the quidditch games. A bit unorthodox, but with him here Dumbledore doesn't need to pay for another person to ref."

"That's right. Malfoy had stolen Neville's remembrall," I said, laughing. "That was his first time."

Sorina gave me a weird look. "What?"

"Oh, never mind," I said. "Professor Rowling's book."

"Oh, right," she replied, as if that explained everything.

I glanced at my watch. It was only 15 minutes after we had started. "Well, should I try again?" I asked her. "Now that I know not to freak out."

She shrugged. "It's up to you. Practice makes perfect. Once you're totally used to it you'll be able to have great control and speed. So if you ever wanna get better…"

I got the message. "If I don't wanna be a total coward when it comes to flying, you mean. I guess I'll try. If I get hurt…then what's it gonna matter, right? I may as well."

Gripping the broomstick tightly in my hands, I rose into the air. I was shaky after what had just happened, but at least I knew what to do. 'This might take a while,' I thought.

An hour or so later I was still practicing.

"Hey, Ashley. What d'you say we give it a rest. It's almost time for our special magic lesson."

I zoomed down and gracefully dismounted next to her.

As we walked into the castle, we were both wondering what would happen in the lesson ahead of us.

"Hey, Ashley. Hi, Sorina." Emma greeted us.

Harry just gave us each a stern nod. "Sit," he directed, pointing at two mats placed on the ground.

As we each sat, he explained, "Normal magic is a lot easier to control. We're going to try a method that's a bit…medieval," he began, struggling to find the right words. "A long time ago wizards and witches used to meditate to control their powers and broaden their skills. Now we use more modern methods, but these don't seem to work for you too. I want you each to close your eyes. Now."

Sorina and I shut our eyes tightly as Professor Potter described what we should be doing during meditation. "Relax your whole body. Concentrate on a single spot on your forehead. Put all your energy in that one spot. Take a deep breath in. As you breath in imagine power coming in through your feet to envelope your whole body. It should be as if a wave from the ocean in coming up to the shore, beating on the sand. Hold the breath for about a second and then breath deeply out. The old, dull, used energy should come out with your breath like a wave going back into the ocean. It'll take a while, but once you get used to it, it'll come naturally.

"Like quidditch," I grinned.

"Just like quidditch," confirmed Professor Potter.

After some thourough preperatiosn so our magic wouldn't cause chaos throughout the school, we began the meditation.

The room was silent, except for the breaths of the four of us, careful and slow. Out breaths locked into place, our hearts beating at corresponding times. We breathed out and in, out and in. Nobody faltered or skipped a breath. It was the beat of waves beating against the shore, but to perfection. In, and out. In, and out.

Suddenly, my eyes blurred, even through the darkness of my closed eyes, I saw pictures and place with people far, far away. They grew blurry and I felt a familiar sensation as I slid in between two places at once. Not again! If I left now then Sorina wouldn't have this lesson to be able to control her magic. 'I don't want her to leave Hogwarts!!!!!' was My last panicked though before the familiar feeling completely returned.


	20. Chapter 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

­Chapter 27

I angrily stood up, shaking. "I'm tired of getting kidnapped! Leave me alone for once!!!" I shouted to no-one in particular. I hated how I kept getting kidnapped. It was so stupid.

"I can't believe this…"I started, tailing off. As I stood and looked around I realized I was still in the room!!!! My body and the bodies of Sorina, Emma, and Professor Potter sat on the floor breathing in tune to each others. "Wow" I mouthed.

I thought back to the time when I had overheard Potter, Rowling, and Dumbledore discussing how dangerous I was and about how they needed to know the rest of the prophecy. I also thought back to the time right before that when I had first found myself sitting on- no, in- my bed. Stella's hand had passed right through mine. This was part of my other powers, but definitely not as destructive.

I didn't want to disrupt anyone so I floated back into my own body. As I was passing from a spirit to a solid human, I viewed saw a few wondrous things that I won't ever forget.

I saw Sorina flashing from human to the shadow of a calm deer, relaxed and gentle. Her spirit was in the deer, her body void of any thoughts. So this was what it looked like when her special powers took over. Her body was visible, but a wispy smoke with the color and shape of a deer surrounded her body. It was an amazing sight, to see Sorina and her essence sitting as one, but in two forms when you were seeing it. I only hoped her parents wouldn't force her to switch schools.

As I passed into my body I saw Emma flashing from visible to invisible. I had almost forgotten that she could do that. She had amazing control of a power that seemed so unusual. I wondered how she had been able to master it. Maybe she hadn't completely, mastered her powers. Maybe she had gotten into trouble being invisible, and that was why Professor Potter had to have gone rescue her the other night when Sorina and I were kidnapped. All three of us- Sorina, Emma, and I- were on the same boat. We were one of the few people in the world who could do these unusal things without the help of apparition or an invisibility cloak. But hadn't Dumbledore said in the fifth Harry Potter book that Harry had a special power too. The power to love?

I saw one last thing as I switched from spirit to the real me. In Professor Potter I saw deep worry. Worry about his past, when he had been forced to fight off Voldemort ( I didn't yet know how he had done this as I had only read up to the fifth book), and worry about other people. I saw his concern for Emma, Sorina, and me. How he had rescued Emma from being stuck as invisible. How he understood Sorina, when she was misunderstood by others, like her parents, when they found out how different she was. I saw his love for his dead parents and godfather. Under all this love and these feelings that I could just feel from looking at him in that moment of understanding, I saw his worry for me.

I had heard him warn Dumbledore how dangerous I was. I had heard him say how I needed to learn control as quickly as I could. But there was no way I could've understood what he really knew. He was the only one who knew what my powers could really do, the only one who could really help me. I finally knew.

He could tell that all this being kidnapped and then portaling myself away would lead to disaster, I would either use up my magic, and therefore my life, in a vain effort to escape someday, or my powers would be stolen by the three evil wizards, and the world would fall into chaos and fear as it had when Voldemort had reigned. He didn't know how the evil would steal my magic, but he knew a bit more of the prophecy then her let on. As his clam face hid his true fears, I heard in his deep, knowing voice that which had changed my life.

"The wand of Merlin, in the right hands,

held by one of an old and new hour

Her power dark, yet bright, at once,

Driven off in the struggle for power"

There was a pause, where I guessed he didn't know a part.

"The One with the laugh,

cruel and vile, sanity lost

he knows her weakness

and how she can be crossed.

The One who Does nothing,

Waiting and plotting

His servants do his work

And be his unlimited strength

The One whose father fell

Lonely and evil

The worst of the three

And yet with the least upheaval

He's the one

who could truly kill her

For if he were to rule

It shall be as if the world never were"

There was another long pause

"And yet, have strength,

for all hope is not yet lost

This one girl, who seems of no importance

Holds the world in her hands

Of her be wary,

She will know and have the will

She…"

The rest of the words in that verse were a low mutter that I could absolutely not hear.

"So wait for when all seems lost to some,

For the worlds most saddening hour

And leaves a world, One who can save us all

or grant evil horrible power."

I was in shock when I heard the prophecy. Had Harry told Dumbledore all this? How did he know it all, and why didn't he tell me. This made it sound as if I would give evil people all my powers and then die. Was this why Harry wanted Dumbledore to be careful of me? So that I wouldn't do something hideously evil? I seemed so confused. There was so much to think about.

Even though Harry Potter, the boy who lived, wanted to make sure I didn't ruin the world, I knew that he was truly worried for me. He wanted me to have a chance to make the prophecy happen differently. Dumbledore had told him it was possible to change the results of a prophecy, so could I? Would I have the courage? Would I have the brains? Would I have the right powers and control?

Chapter 28

I stared in shock as I thought back to what I had just seen. In my real body, my eyes snapped open. No one else seemed to notice that I had just seen some of their most inner feelings and magical powers. I wondered what they would see if they could have seen me the way I had seen them. How much could I really do? I could make portals, help someone not be stuck in animagus form, and I could see amazing things. I could float outside of my body and I could probably do so much more. If only I knew how much I could do.

My breath grew ragged and Harry, the person that as a muggle I would have died to meet, opened one eye and gave me a stern look. I shook my head. I didn't want to do anymore. What would he say if he knew what I had just found out. I shakily stood up, trying to breathe and look casual. Harry broke the others from their meditations by shaking them gently until they opened their eyes.

For some reason, I didn't want to call him Professor Potter any more. I had seen who he really was. A child at heart, someone full of love and compassion. I felt better calling him by the name that I had grown up calling him, from when I was in second grade, to when I was in fifth grade. Harry. He had been my hero. He was my story book idol. I wanted to be just like him, having adventures and magic. But now that I actually knew him, he was different. I knew that he was a real person with faults and weaknesses. It was scary, but it was somewhat calming. I just didn't want to call him 'Professor Potter' anymore. Harry would do just fine.

Sorina stretched as she stood up. "I think I almost fell asleep," she joked. She yawned which made her chuckle.

"Good job. That's how it's supposed to feel when you start," said Harry. "Now, I want both of you to practice for next Friday. Imagine pulling all your energy into one tiny ball inside of you. It'll help you learn control."

Sorina walked out the door. Emma waved and followed her.

I was about to leave, when Harry put his hand on my shoulder. "Ashley, I need to know before you leave. Why did you want to stop?"

I just shook my head an pulled away. "It's just…I don't know. I can't really say…" I muttered, trying to avoid the question. I didn't want him knowing what had really happened.

He sighed and stared off into space. "That's okay, Ashley. I just wish you'd learn to trust me."

With that last sentence lying heavy in the air, he left.

"But I do trust you," I whispered. "How could I not when it's someone like you." But by then he was already gone.

Chapter 29

I began the long walk up to the Gryffindor tower when I bumped into Flora Marigold.

She smirked. "How's it going…owl thief?"

I winced. That was so long ago. Since then we had ignored each other in classes we had together.

"I didn't steal your owl. A thestral was attacking it." I tried to explain.

"Sure. And a freak like you would actually go outside in the middle of the night to save somebody else's owl just because they felt like it. Yeah right. You stole her. She would have been in the Owlery when I needed her if you hadn't taken her. Then you made me have to search the whole school for you, you rotten sneak. I bet you couldn't even be trusted to hold someone's pencil for a second without running off with it." Her words were sharp and angry. It had been such a little thing and she had held such a long grudge. This must've been normal Slytherin behavior considering what I knew from the Harry Potter books.

I just ignored her and tried to walk around. She blocked my way. "You're so stupid. Just like a Gryffindor to be so stupid and conceited. You with your 'special powers'" She spat the words out like a curse. "You probably think you're so great just because you can do something no one else can. Well, guess what. You're a freak!!! Nobody likes you. You're just a good-for-nothing nobody."

Her words stung. She walked arrogantly away, leaving me standing there with my mouth open, still trying to think of a comeback

Flora didn't seem to be a big part in my life, but just because she hated me her words seemed to have such a big impact. She was to me like Draco was to Harry, but she wasn't quite as evil…I hoped. She made me see how I was really an out-of-place, practically muggle girl at this big wizardry school.

Despite all this, I continued to the Gryffindor tower to meet Ashley.

"You really should learn to trust him," she told me when I recalled what he had said in the room. I mentioned nothing about my seeing the deepest qualities of her, Emma, and Harry. "He's trying to help us, but you seem to be pulling away and not even trying sometimes. You have to try though," she begged. "The next time you're kidnapped could be the final showdown, the big ka-boom. You don't know, but what if you don't make it. What if one of them is really able to get your powers? Sometimes you act like this is all a game and you can stop playing whenever you feel like it, but if the bad guys win then you'll probably die and the world will be in their control. Please, Ashley. You're my best friend." Her eyes started to tear, she rubbed it away as she leaned forward, putting her head into her hands. "I don't want you to die."

I turned away from her and closed the curtains of my four-poster. 'I was trying,' I thought silently to myself as I cried in my bed. 'Why doesn't anyone understand that? I'm not going to die. I'm too strong for that to happen.'

**Chapter 30**

The next day was torture. I don't know why. It just happened that way. My mind drifted in class. I dropped a heavy water pail on Professor Sprout's foot, causing her to take points away from Gryffindor. In Potions, I skipped three major ingredients and my potion ended up a bright red color, instead of a slimy, olive green. All in all, it was torturous. Luckily, I didn't have Defense Against the Dark Arts. If I had, I seriously would've cracked.

"Ashley, are you okay?" asked Stella, a couple of times. I nodded her off, not even noticing when she rolled her eyes at Nicole.

"I have a weird feeling about today," Sorina whispered to me during Defense Against the Dark Arts. "For some reason, I think we should tell Professor Potter."

I shook my head. "Don't bother him. It's probably nothing. He had enough worry.

"Ashley," she sat down next to me, "You've been so dreary lately. I want to know what's going on. I'm your best friend and I swear, you can tell me anything."

"Well, nothing's wrong," I snapped at her.

She gave me a sympathetic look. "You're feeling it too. Something big is happening."

I ignored her, but the thought that she was right kept nagging at me all day long.

On our way to Herbology, we noticed the many clouds in the sky. They were such a dark shade of gray that they were almost black. Our classmates whispered about it as the dark storm clouds swirled overhead, forming and staying right above Hogwarts. Nicole shrieked in fright when lightning stuck not even a mile away from us.

"Run, back to the school!" ordered Professor Sprout, trying to yell about the howling wind and the not-so-distant thunder rumbling above us. We raced back to the school just as it started to pour. The rain relentlessly beat down upon the school, causing concern among the students and staff.

"It's just not natural for this time in the year," I heard McGonagall muttering to Sinistra.

Liatrix was frowning as she climbed out of the dungeons. "It's flooding down there!" I heard her screeching at Filch.

Something was wrong about this storm, and Sorina agreed with me.

"The feeling," she reminded me.

It bugged me to admit she was right, but there was no hiding from that truth now. We had to tell Harry that we sensed something.

In his office, he looked a bit unnerved by the storm too, and Emma soon joined us.

"This is so weird!" Emma explained. "I've felt this strange urge all day, like I've forgotten about something, but it's still nagging at me in the back of my mind."

Harry nodded. "This is no normal storm. It's dark magic. We can sense it so well because our extra powers make us extra aware of the surroundings."

"But others can sense it too," exclaimed Sorina.

"Exactly. That's why this is abnormally dark magic. More than even Voldemort could control, which makes me think that isn't just one wizard. It seems more like the workings of…" he gave me a look, "three."

I took a deep breath. "So, it's coming? The big showdown?"

He nodded. Emma looked worried for me. Sorina looked like she was about to cry. I remembered what she had said. "The next time you're kidnapped could be the final showdown, the big ka-boom. You don't know, but what if you don't make it. What if one of them is really able to get your powers? Sometimes you act like this is all a game and you can stop playing whenever you feel like it, but if the bad guys win then you'll probably die and the world will be in their control. Please, Ashley. You're my best friend. I don't want you to die."

I looked away. What was I going to do? I was going to die, probably. And there was no escape.

I felt my essence flutter and I looked up at them. "It's happening," I said calmly. They all hugged me and, together this time, we disappeared from Hogwarts.

**Chapter 31**

I could hardly believe this was real- how close I was to the end of this fantasy in my mind. But Emma, Sorina, and Harry were with me. We would go through this "end of the world" situation together.

We opened our eyes to find ourselves in a room, made of hard, light blue walls that seemed to be a stone of some type. The colors swirled together and had an alien feel about it.

"Opal," said Harry, lightly touching the wall next to me. He suddenly banged his fist against the wall. " The only thing that can hold us in here. The magical properties of Opal can cancel out magic, or hold great magic. In this case, it must be here to keep us in. Or at least, keep Ashley in." He turned to the three of us. "I don't think Malfoy realized all four of us would come."

"What makes you think it's Malfoy?" snapped Emma, searching for a line in the wall that signified a door. Without one, we were completely locked in. She knocked on a section of wall that looked the same as the rest. "I think it's hollow, she explained, laying herear to the wall.

The wall suddenly fell away, causing Emma to fall to her knees. She saw a black boot and followed it up to see the smirking face of Draco Malfoy. "You were right," he said in a oily voice, and kicked her in the face.

Emma fell back, clutching her nose. Sorina helped her sit up, looking sincerely scared.

"So, Potter. How's your fiancé? The little Weasley brat?" Malfoy asked, turning to Harry, his eyes filled with hatred.

Harry clenched his teeth. "Ginny's fine. Not that you would care, Malfoy!"

Draco chucked evilly. "But why wouldn't I care? I was at Hogwarts with you, if you haven't forgotten, and I remember Weasley- her and the bat boogey hex she put on me in our fifth year."

"You never were good at defensive spells," retorted Harry.

Draco shrugged. "At least I wasn't as hated by the school as you were in our second and fourth years. The Dark Lord's curse made your life miserable Potter, didn't it?" At this comment, Harry's face darkened and he looked away. "And to think I was jealous of all your attention," sneered Malfoy. He pulled out his wand and shouted, "Expelliarmous!"

I tried to get a better grip on my wand a second too late. All of our wands flew out of our hands and into Malfoys. He tucked them away in his robes.

"Now, you four may be wondering what you're doing here?" He motioned to somebody behind him.

My jaw fell as two men came up behind him. I recognized one of them at once. The other seemed strangely familiar. They were the other two from the prophecy.

The first one was stout, and unhuman looking. He had an insane greedy gleam in his glassy black eyes, his dark navy robes too long for him, and dragging on the ground. I remembered what I'd heard of his part of the prophecy:

"The One with the laugh,

cruel and vile, sanity lost

he knows her weakness

and how she can be crossed."

He knew how to magnetize me and get rid of me. He must've told Malfoy, who stood beside him, tall and proud of the shock on our faces.

The other one was the one who had his minions summon me and put me in a sack. I rubbed my arm, as if the memory of the kick still hurt me. He hadn't directly harmed me, but even with his lean body, and uncaring expression, he seemed as malicious and threatening as the other one.

"Couldn't you just have taken care of her yourself? I was doing something." He complained in a hushed voice to Malfoy, who slapped him in reply.

"No, you fool. I needed you here. This was the only way to fufill the dark side of the prophecy."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't' believe there really is a prophecy, but she does have power. She escaped from my minions despite the strength of the magic I had stolen from that old witch in Kettlesbrook. That spell should've kept her. With her strength, I could… I mean, we could, of course," he corrected himself hastily as Malfoy shot him a detesting look, "rule the world."

His greedy, yet lazy personality brought his part of the prophecy to mind:

"The One who Does nothing,

Waiting and plotting

His servants do his work

And be his unlimited strength"

So he could steal magic from other people, or at least spells. That would explain the unlimited strength part. He must have teamed up with the crazy one just before the crazy one captured me a second time. How else could the "One with the Laugh" have the magic-stealing technology that had almost killed me?

Third, there was Malfoy. The worst of the worst. The most powerful of all evil.

"The One whose father fell

Lonely and evil

The worst of the three

And yet with the least upheaval

He's the one

who could truly kill her

For if he were to rule

It shall be as if the world never were."

Harry and Emma had told me how Lucius Malfoy, his father, had been one of the highest Death-Eaters- right in Voldemort's inner circle. Malfoy would have become a Death-Eater himself, but Voldemort was defeated by Harry in his last year. His father was killed, and his mother put in prison. His mother wasn't as evil as most Death-Eaters. She disliked muggles, but she at least had a sense of love. She tried to pass it on to her son, before she was imprisoned, but he took after his father too much and paid her no attention.

Malfoy himself did not look so evil. In fact, if it weren't for all the horrible things he had done, he would've looked handsome. His shining blond hair caressed his face, making his unique features stand out. How could the person who was plotting to kill me, and take over the world with the two other evil wizards at his side, be so damn good-looking?

"Malfoy, I know you don't what to let her go," Harry began, "but you don't have to do this. Remember when I first met you in Madame Malkins? You assumed the best and talked to me. True, it wasn't the best conversation, but you weren't so evil. You don't have to do this!"

Malfoy winced at this harmless memory of his past. "I don't have to, but I will. I have gone through far too much trouble to bring you and the girl here. The other two will only add to my power. I shall rule in place of the Dark Lord, for I have succeeded much farther then he ever has." He finished, looking triumphant.

Harry sadly looked at him. "If you feel you have to."

Draco's triumphant pose fell. It didn't seem as if he expected Harry to give in so easily.

He opened his mouth to retort, but then shut it as if he had nothing else to say. Turning on his heel, he left the room with his cape billowing behind him. "I will be back later to collect my rightful magic," he called over his shoulder.

The other two evil wizards followed him, the opal door closing solidly behind.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I burst into tears, hugging Sorina and Emma. "I don't wanna die," I sobbed. "I wanna go back to school, back to being a muggle. I don't wanna live this life anymore."


	21. Chapter 32, 33, 34, and EPILOGUE

**Chapter 32**

That night when I was sleeping I had the strangest dreams. A beautiful lady in a white dress rode on a thestral, which soared in the sky. Suddenly a mass of darkness covered the scene. I fought to see around it but it was too big. Instead, I threw my mind forcefully at it. It tried to block me, but eventually it balked under the pressure and I flew through it The lady on the thestral was shining, flying strongly. She could beat the world. She had power and friends. She… was me.

I woke with a start, taking a few seconds to reorient myself in the entirely light blue room.

I pushed Sorina's shoulder. "Wake up!" I cried. "Sorina, Emma, Harry, wake up!"

Sorina groaned and rolled over. "Go back to sleep, Ashley. There's no classes today!"

"There won't be anymore classes if you don't get your stupid butt off the floor of this misery trap!" I screamed angrily.

"Ashley, calm down. Don't lose your temper. We'll find a way out of this," yawned Emma.

Harry seemed to need a minute to remember what was going on. Suddenly he sat up.

"We need a plan! Never go anywhere without a full explanation of whats going on and a plan. I learned that in my fifth year from experience. It wasn't good." He shook his head sadly. "I lost my godfather that day."

I nodded sympathetically. "Sirius Black. I know. I'm sorry."

Harry looked at me strangely. "How did you know that?"

"The books about you that Professor Rowling wrote," I pointed out.

He groaned. "Right. I told her not to show Malfoy in that way, but she wouldn't listen. She said the muggles needed to know what was going on, even if they just thought it was a story."

"Not the best idea," shrugged Emma. "But it seemed good at the time. I-"

"Not now!" I snapped. "We need a plan. We can't get off topic. We need to concentrate. So what can we do to get ourselves out of this?"

"Well, let's see. We have a girl who can make portals and send her consciousness elsewhere, a girl who can make herself invisible, a guy who has the power of 'love,'" Sorina made a face as she counted each person off on her fingers, "and a freak like me who changes into animals by accident. We're doomed."

"Hey, I can do more than that!" said Harry, irritably. "Love is what gave me my powers and saved me from Voldemort, Quirell, and who knows what else. I can do occlumency, am excellent at wandless magic, especially defense magic, and know how to get on Malfoy's nerves." He grinned evilly. "It's fun to get on his nerves. I've been doing it half my life."

"None of us are useless," shrugged Emma. "We just need to figure out how to work it out."

"Okay, here's my plan," I said, slyly. My companions leaned in as I explained as quickly as I could.

We were all sitting around the room waiting for Malfoy to come again. I was thinking back to the memories of my friends and family from my muggle life. Sorina was combing her fingers through her hair, aggravated at how it would not lay flat. Emma was tucking the tongue of her sneakers (or trainers in England) in since she no longer had her shoelaces. Harry was apparently sleeping again.

I sighed, only to hear the door bang open behind me. I slowly turned, making sure that our plan was beginning out of the corner of my eye.

"Food," grunted the guard. He placed it on the floor and turned to leave. Another guard was standing behind him just in case we decided to attack either of them. I smiled sneakily, looking down so that they wouldn't see.

"Hey," said the second guard, looking confused, "weren't there four of them before?"

The first one frowned. "I think there- ARGH!!!!" He clutched at his throat as a pair of invisible hands held a shoelace tightly around his throat. The second guard backed away and began to reach for a gun strapped onto his belt, his eyes wide.

Suddenly Harry's eyes shot open and he threw himself at the second guard. Once into the small corridor that had led to our prison, wrestling with the guard, he was able to do wandless magic and freeze the guards. Now just Sorina's part and I could get us out of here.

"Sorina!" I shouted. "Hurry up! Malfoy'll be down here any second!!!"

She bit her lip. "I can't! I can't change without any pressure!"

"This isn't enough pressure for you? Sorina, WE'RE GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR BUTT INTO A HORSE SHAPE NOW!!!!"

Apparently, it worked. A few seconds later the shadow of a rhino was surrounding Sorina's floating, yet unmoving body.

I shrugged. "Rhino. That works too. Hop on!" I jumped onto the rhinos back and gave Emma a hand up. Harry jumped on right behind us.

"Never though I'd have the chance to ride a rhino!" I laughed to Emma as Sorina crashed through the underground hallways, ruining everything in sight.

She shivered. "I didn't even know you can! I still don't think you can! This is so wrong!"

"Ashley! The portal!" shouted Harry as a reminder.

I shut my eyes tightly and imagined all four of us in my common room at Hogwarts. Nothing happened.

I shook my head. "No good! We need to be farther away! There's probably some kind of spell on the dungeons! That must be why the guards had guns, not wands!"

"Damn!" cursed Harry. "Okay, we need to get farther away. Outside or something. Can you do that, Sorina?"

The rhino just continued it mad rampage.

"What other choice is there?" I shrugged. "As soon as we're out I'll make a portal!"

I felt a tingling on the back of my neck. I turned around only to see the empty, torn apart hallway, I had the strangest notion that someone was watching us. I looked around, but saw nowhere for anyone to hide that wasn't just ruined by Sorina as a rhino a few seconds ago.

Magic! I swore and nudged Harry. "We're being watched," I informed him.

"Go!" he shouted at Sorina. The rhino sped up. I saw a light around a corner. "Turn, turn, turn!!!" all the humans in our little group shouted. Sorina spun to run towards the door, almost throwing us off her back.

As we got closer, I could see trees outside the doorway. We just had to go up some small steps and we'd be free to escape!

We were seconds away from the door. "C'mon, Sorina!" I whispered.

Suddenly the doors swung shut. Sorina rammed into them, but they were solid. We all were tossed off her back and thrown into the wall. With a grunt, Sorina changed back into her human self. She kneeled over and clutched her nose. She looked at me apologetically and shrugged, "oww!"

I would have laughed if Malfoy and the other evil wizards weren't standing right in front of me. Two people grabbed me from behind. I struggled, but they threw me down to the floor and held me down. One had my feet; the other, my hands. I couldn't move.

"What should we do with her, boss?" asked one of the men. I recognized his voice. He was one of the people who had kidnapped me before and thrown me in a sack to bring to his master.

I turned my head, growling. "You creep!" I shouted. "You total creep! All of you are! You're freaks, trying to kill me for some stupid magic! Well guess what, I don't want it! I just wanna be normal!"

"Good," said Malfoy smoothly. "Then just relax and this will be painless and easy."

I snorted. "Yeah, sure. Killing me with your stupid machine is painless and easy. Maybe for you, but I don't wanna die just yet! I haven't even kissed a boy yet! For good sakes, I haven't even finished my first year at Hogwarts!"

"You never will," snickered the evil wizard, the one who never did anything himself.

"Move her to the machine!" ordered Malfoy. "And dispose of the others."

They picked me up, still holding me so I couldn't struggle. My friends were lying motionless on the ground. Somebody had knocked them out. I saw some men go to pick up Sorina, Emma, and Harry. Malfoy smacked the one who was about to lift Harry.

"Not him!" sneered Malfoy. "I want to deal with Harry personally. He cost me all those years of humiliation when we were in school together. I want to humiliate him like he did to me. Of course, I'll use a bit more torture then he would ever be brave enough to use."

He began to laugh. It was cold and heartless, sending shivers down my spine. Exactly how you imagine those cheesy moments in books and movies where the character is helpless and the bad guy is about to win. But then someone comes and rescues the good guys, preferably the main characters boyfriend or girlfriend.

'I don't have a boyfriend! There's no one left who could rescue me!' I thought panicked. With deep breaths I told myself, 'Just think of the Harry Potter books. That's always calmed you down before. Harry always wins.'

'But that isn't true,' taunted a nagging voice in the back of my mind. 'He lost when Cedric, and Sirus died. He lost when Voldemort came back into power. He lost his family. Even if this was similar to the Harry Potter books, which give you so much comfort, you could be the person close to Harry who dies. And Harry could possibly die. This could be it for you, Ashley.'

Despair came upon me. I couldn't stand it anymore. I gave up the struggle. It was hopeless. Malfoy had won. The prophecy's bad side would have victory. I would give my powers to the bad side, they would take over the world, and it would be awful. People would die, terror and horror would spread across the globe. They had won. I had lost. Good bye, life.

**Chapter 33**

I was thrown onto the machine, hanging against the wall, with the strange metal surface behind me. Once again my wrists were chained to the wall, and my ankles also to the wall, but just barely on the floor. It was a tight position, painful as well as frightening, but I had given up so that it no longer mattered much to me.

'They're all gone.' I thought to myself. 'My friends are being killed, while I'm hanging here letting destiny do its work. The prophecy will be done- unfortunately, it turned out the bad way.'

Malfoy laughed horribly at me. The draining began. Like before, I felt myself growing weaker. Like before, I felt my magic leaving me. Like before…I was dying!

I had given up struggling so I lay there as I died. My head hung, tears in my eyes. 'My parents! They'll never know what happened to me! I'm gonna miss them. And I hope the school finds out what happened to us all. And my friends- if Malfoy kills them I'll come back and haunt him for eternity! I won't leave him alone until he's damned to Hell for doing this!'

My mind blurred. I didn't have strength left to think. So this is what it was like to die. The world dissolved around me. Nothing else mattered but the pain. That too slowly eased away and my soul left my body.

I was no longer.

I was dead.

I just have to interrupt myself. You may be thinking right now "Oh, she's dead. That's great. So how the hell is she writing this?" Well, you have to remember one very important thing. This was the magic world- not the muggle one. It also helps to remember that I was prophesized about.

Now, I bet you really want to know what happens next. Did I really die? Well, the answer to that is yes. I died. End of my life.

Big deal.

Floating in nothingness, I looked around. Was this Heaven? Was this the afterlife? wAs this reincarnation? What the Hell was this?

"This is death, my dear," chimed a voice that sounded like a thousand ringing bells. "You have died. The Evil Ones have your magic. Lucky for you, however, this is not the end."

"What???!!! Who are you?!!" I wanted to shout. To my dismay I found that I didn't have a mouth to shout with. Nor, for that matter, did I have a body either. I was nothing in nothing. I had no body or surroundings. I was just a soul.

"Follow me, my child. There is more to this tale," said the voice, this time sounding more solid to my ears.

My ears?! I thought I didn't have ears!! To my relief, I opened my eyes and found myself in the real world again. It was solid, and true. It was the dungeon. Right in front of me was the metal machine that had stolen my life. Worst of all, to my shock, was me lying attached to it, seemingly dead.

"But how is that possible if I'm right here? I…" I asked, looking up to find the most beautiful lady I had ever seen. She was almost glowing she was so glamorous. I remembered reading about glamours and faeries and figured that a lady this wondrous couldn't be human.

I reached forward to touch my cheek and immediately pulled my hand back. My other body was cold- dead, even.

"Follow me, my child," she smiled down at me. I followed her curiously as she navigated through the maze of hallways in this underground death-trap. She opened a door to a room. "Peek in, but do not be scared. There are things we can do to save them."

When I looked in, I found Sorina and Emma lying out cold on the floor. The two evil wizards who weren't Malfoy were arguing.

"Crucio's the best way to solve anything. They suffer and die, and it takes effort from yourself," I managed to hear one say, aggravated.

"No, you dolt! They need to suffer long and still care. Crucio makes people not want to live anymore!"

I shivered. "That's awful!"

The lady nodded. "But you can free them. You have been given another life. Not your old life, but a new one. You can move them, but, for the moment, you cannot be seen. The Evil Ones will not even see your friends' bodies as you move them. I shall make sure of it."

I took a deep breath and tiptoed into the room. The wizards continued to argue. I glanced unsurely back at the lady. She gave me a reassuring nod and a warm smile. I lifted Sorina on to my back and dragged her out. The wizards never ceased to argue. I ran back for Emma, less careful now that I knew it was possible. I grabbed her, and tried to get her into a piggy back on me, like I had done with Sorina, but she was too heavy. I reached for my wand to levitate her.

"Wingardium Leviosa," I whispered.

My wand shone and Emma began to rise. Simultaneously, the wizards stopped arguing and looked at me. I stumbled…and ran. Levitating Emma behind me, and Sorina too once I had reached the doorway, I sprinted through the hallways. The mysterious and beautiful lady was gone.

"No, no, no!" I cried, stumbling blindly around the dungeon like place.

I saw a door and made a dash for it, holding my wand up. Why had they had to see me just as I had picked up Emma. And where was the lady? Had she deserted me?

I turned the corner into the door and crashed straight into someone's back. Not just anyone though…Malfoy. Harry was lying in front of him, breathless on the floor as if he had just fought a duel and lost.

Malfoy turned angrily. "You were dead!" he roared, grabbing for my neck. He just barely missed as I ducked out of the way and ran past him to help Harry. Harry wouldn't get up. He just laid there and breathed hard. Emma and Sorina's floating bodies smacked Malfoy on their way in. I settled them behind me, before Malfoy could set up for another attack.

"Harry, you need to wake up," I cried, shaking him. I was getting frantic. I couldn't face Malfoy by myself.

"You won't be by yourself, little one. I will be here too," said a chiming voice next to me. I turned to see the lady again.

"Where did you go?" I shouted, frustrated for being deserted, yet relieved to have someone to help me.

"I was with you the whole time. I couldn't help you again until you had ended that spell of yours," she answered calmly.

I returned to the present situation. I didn't have time to argue with a lunatic.

I threw up a shield spell as Malfoy began to hurl curses at me. I glanced at where the lady had been seconds before and cursed. She was gone again.

**Chapter 34**

"How did you survive? I saw your dead body! I have your powers! You cannot be here!" hissed Malfoy at me.

I smirked. "I am dead. My body is in the other room lying there dead. I'm not really alive, Malfoy."

Malfoy went white. "But…but that's impossible," he stuttered. "No one can return from death, and the prophecy said…"

"The prophecy said that you were the only one who could truly kill me, not that you actually would."

He smiled, making me hesitate. A smile like that on the face of a person who was facing his defeat seemed insane, and just not right!

"Then I can still kill you, my dear One-Who-Can-Save-Us-All-Or-Grant-Evil-A-Horrible-Power."

I cursed and ducked as he shot a strong spell which broke through my shield. Thanks to my being raised as a muggle, I had never had the time to really get the hang of some magic.

"Don't use lasting spells, your essence returns when you use them," said a irritated, yet still beautiful voice from my side. "When you use an active spell, one that lasts instead of taking just a second, you won't be able to hear or see me."

"Sorry," I apologized, "But now's really not the time to lecture me. I won't use spells like that, but I have to protect my friends."

"What about protecting youself?"

That made me freeze. "I'm not as important. I already gave up died, and had a chance to come back. They won't."

She nodded, "A friendship is an awful thing to lose. But worry not, when you do not perform active spells, you cannot be seen. Your essence is not fully here. Half of it is in the muggle world. I can explain more after this current issue."

"So Malfoy can't see me?" I asked slyly, ideas forming in my head.

She looked at me sternly, with an uncanny likeness to Rowling in the way she showed her disapproval. "Don't even think of it," she warned.

Ignoring her, I slid past Malfoy and cleared my throat loudly, while doing a quick shield spell.

Malfoy turned quickly, his eyes wide, the whites showing. He must've thought himself mad to be able to see me one minute, and not the next. "Where are you?" he cried out, wildly.

I raced past him and he snarled as he saw me.

Instantly I ended my shield spell again and was invisible. I was vaguely aware of the lady in the corner of the room watching, unsatisfied, with her arms crossed.

I raced past Malfoy and shot a simple Shock Spell at his back.

He jumped, but he just barely missed seeing me. I raced around him, torturing him until he finally fell to the floor with his head in his hands. "I give up. Just show yourself or leave." He laughed insanely. I shook my head, knowing he had finally cracked. "Not that you can get out. This place is so complex." He laughed more. I rolled my eyes thinking, 'Wow, he sure forgot about the portals quickly.'

I tried to concentrate…but nothing happened.

The lady rolled her eyes. "Your portal magic is gone. Malfoy has it in his possession. You have but the tiniest bit of witch power left. Once you have defeated Malfoy, the Fates who make the past, present, and future will remove them from you and you will be a muggle once more."

I froze. Great timing, lady. So, not only am I going to be half dead and expelled, but I'll lose all of my magic. I had spent my entire life dreaming I was in Harry Potter's world and here I was, fighting off evil. But it was going to go away. I slowly turned to the lady. "And what if I refuse to fight?" I demanded, stubbornly.

"The world will end." She said simply. "It will no longer be worth living in." That made me rethink the situation.

"Then there's only one thing to do," I said. "Do you think you could help me get Sorina, Emma, and Harry out of here."

For once, the lady smiled. "That I can do, with your agreement that you will finish your battle with Malfoy."

Gulping, I nodded. "Just keep them safe. And I want explanations later!"

She nodded and a second later both she and Harry had disappeared from the room. Judging by the frantic shouting from the halls, Sorina and Emma had disappeared too.

"Malfoy," I catcalled, putting up a temporary shield spell so he could see me. "You're right, I can't go anywhere. But I can fight. And that's all that matters. And you know what else? I really hate losers like you. Avada Kedavra!"

Green light burst from my wand as I shouted the fatal words to the Killing Curse. I felt my soul screaming and it ripped apart. My magic was slipping away. I felt…normal. Too normal. Like a muggle once again. As if in slow motion, Malfoy fell to the ground. The building above me shook. Malfoy's magic must have been what was keeping it together.

I took a deep breath. "I did it." And I fell to the floor, which disappeared from under me until I landed safely in my bed in the Gryffindor Tower.

As I slept, I dreamed. The beautiful lady was in front of me, in her typical robes of thin, white silk. Light shone from behind her and the other beautiful beings surrounding me in this peaceful meadow. All had the finely chiseled features of ancient statues.

"We are the Fates." Said one particularly beautiful one. "We know the possibilities of the past, present, and future and it is our job to intervene when necessary. We prevent time paradoxes and we send prophecies to the Seers of Earth. Ashley, you were but a tool in our plan, but you have succeeded. We had forseen the trouble Malfoy would have brought. It was far worse than any human could have realized. But this peace is over. You can no longer be involved in the magic world. Around magic, your mind will not be able to proceed normally. Things will appear blurry, and you will not always be in a solid form. Without your special magic, your body cannot bind itself together properly. We removed your witch magic to prevent your death. With the splitting of your soul you have saved the future, but destroyed yourself. If you stay at Hogwarts, you will only suffer for it. Muggles cannot see Hogwarts from the outside, and from the inside it will be difficult to remain. You must rejoin the non-magic world and go on as a muggle. But do not worry, you will not miss any of it. So the Fates have spoken. So it will be."

The perfect faces and the perfect scene faded. My eyes groggily opened. School… but it was blurry. I tried to sit up and felt myself sinking. I looked down through my blurry eyes. My bottom seemed to be falling through the bed. Alarmed, I stood and raced over to Sorina's four-poster. She was asleep. I shouted her name, and she rolled over, but did not awake.

Tears began to roll down my face. What was happening to me?

I turned back to Sorina only to find her already awake. "Ashley?" she asked in amazement. "I had this awful dream. Malfoy was there. And you, you…Oh my God, Ashley, you're see-through. What's going on."

I looked to her and put my face in my hands. "It was real. I killed Malfoy and now I'm mostly muggle. The Fates want me to go back to the muggle world. I…. can you go get Rowling for me."

Sorina grabbed her dressing gown and raced from the room. I looked around at the place where I had been living for the past school year. It was like something out of a story, but it was time for the story to end.

Sorina arrived with Rowling and I quickly explained the whole story. Rowling told me that they were connecting my house's fireplace to the fireplace here. This was it. I would leave.

The Last Chapter

I stood up from packing my trunk, a difficult task considering my bosy kept becoming ghostly unsolid. Tears were silently streaming from my eyes. Sorina came over. "I'm sorry you're leaving." She said quietly, looking down. "I guess it's kinda my fault. I…" She shook her head and turned away. I grabbed her around the shoulders in a huge bear hug. "Why are you apologizing? You're the best friend I ever had.

Professor Rowling stuck her head through the door. "Are you ready to go, Ashley?" She asked solemnly.

I nodded, picking up one of my smaller bags. Rowling levitated my trunk behind me and we stepped down into the Gryffindor common room.

At the bottom, Professor Rowling turned to me. "Ashley, you don't have to do this. You could stay here and become a normal part of the magical community. Ashley, you could stay if you just…" She stopped as she saw me shaking my head as I remembered what the Fates had said. Looking as though she were about to cry, she nodded. "The magical world will miss you though. You saved everyone and for that we're thankful. Good bye Ashley." She gave me a little hug, something I'd never even dreamed of before I had learned that Hogwarts was real. My favorite author, J.K. Rowling, truly sad that I was leaving.

Emma stood there too, and I hugged her as well. She looked somber, and although she wasn't crying, I knew that she would miss me just as I'd miss her.

I glanced hopelessly back at the Gryffindor common room, preparing to take the fatal step into the fireplace that would return me to being an average muggle in the average muggle world. I'd have no adventures, no enemies, and I wouldn't even be allowed to use my magic. So that would be it. I would leave.

I looked for one last time back again towards the steps to my dormitory. Sorina rushed down the stairs, crying. She ran over and hugged me tightly. "I'll miss you." She whispered. I was crying too now.

"I'll miss you too. I whispered back. Both crying, we embraced knowing that this would be the last time that we would ever see each other again. I took a deep breath and looked at J.K. Rowling. I guess that would be the right name to call her now. She threw the floo powder into the fireplace, calling out "the heroine's house." So that's what I was now. The heroine. Knowing that my parents and my former life were waiting for me on the other side, I stepped into the fire place for my final disappearing act, no longer a out cast girl with one tiny flaw; different magic.

**Epilogue:** So now, here I am. A muggle girl with different magic, but that could be a dream for all I know. I can't use magic. I'm just a muggle in a 9th grade class of a Pennsylvanian middle school, writing Harry Potter fanfictions for the internet and wishing for adventure. My past at Hogwarts was just a dream, wasn't it. I always thought so. But from the moment I opened my journal that I had written when I was in fifth grade, I knew something was wrong. I remembered having an HP dream and writing it down, but it had been before the fifth book had come out. How had I known about thestrals or anything like that. It seemed unreal. I don't think that I'd had that much writing talent back then. I thought I was pretty bad. But this? As a fifth grader with not enough creativity to write a story…did I really right this and make it up in my mind…or was it real? Was it really a dream I had written, or reality. Maybe there was some part of the dream that wasn't remembered. Maybe Rowling had told me afterwards that I would remember it all as a dream when I arrived at muggle life again.

Maybe it was real.

Now it doesn't matter though. There's nothing I could do to find out the truth at this point. But I can always type it on Microsoft Word, an ordinary muggle computer program, and tell it to others. Who knows, maybe one day I can find out what really happened. But it all seems like a dream. A long, amazing dream.

And now, what's this. My words are fading…what's happening? I'm forgetting everything that happened again….at least it's written down…what was I saying…the truth…memories…or what….WHAT was I saying?…an interesting story but surely not true…it couldn't possibly be real…what is this? Was my memory freaking out? This couldn't have really happened. I'm just a muggle and always have been. Right? That's all I am. A muggle...right?


	22. THE ENTIRE STORY in case of errors

Based on a dream I had in fifth grade (much more than 5 years ago), Ashley Doyles is a muggle-born who finds herself caught up in the most threatening wizarding dilemma of all time. Three evil wizards are after her powers, which would allow them to rule the world. Brought to Hogwarts, Ashley makes new friends and finds many mysteries- but the biggest one of all is if she can survive the result of her having so much power. Can she escape and fulfill Morgan Le Faye's prophecy? Read on to find out. 

Chapter 1

It all started with a swing. It went all the way around the bars, and upside down over and over again until I was flung into the sky. Don't believe me? You try it. Then again, don't. I didn't mean for it to happen. Unfortunately, it wasn't a coincidence either. I was on a swing at the park, thinking about the Harry Potter books. They were so good, so different, so...me! I was obsessed. I still am. And yet I wonder if it was all a dream. A dream from which I still have a souvenir. Magic.

Okay, by now you probably think I'm some lunatic who can't write a single paragraph without changing the topic at least 3 times. I should start over. I'm Ashley Doyles. I'm 11 years old and I believe in magic. I read too much and I'm obsessed with the Harry Potter books. Well, I think that about covers it. Let me go on with the story.

One day at the township park, I was sitting on the unmoving swing, thinking about how cool Hermione Granger was. Until suddenly the swing, all by itself, started to move. I looked up, confused. There was no breeze. What was happening?

The swing started to go faster and faster. I tried to stop it, but my toes couldn't reach the ground. I tried to leap off, but some invisible force was holding me back. The swing swung higher and higher, I called out in distress. The parents, the kids, the dogs, none of them heard me. The chain swung around and finally over the bar. I shrieked as gravitational force kept me pushed onto the fast moving swing. Finally, the chain broke. I was flung into the sky. I looked down and saw the people in the park going on with their activities as if they couldn't hear or see my distress.

I went up for about 10 seconds, gripping the bars so tightly that my fingers began to turn white. Suddenly, the blue of the sky faded into a bright purplish pink color and the world dissolved around me.

The first word that popped into my mind was "portal". And that's exactly what it was.

Chap 2

I flew through the portal and landed on a hard, rough floor. The swing was nowhere to be seen. I saw two glittering, silver eyes (that is the only way to describe them) veering over me. After that I blacked out.

"Crazy! How did it happen? And to a muggle-born girl too." At the sound of the word muggle I opened my eyes. I was in a room with stone walls and portraits all around. The portraits were moving! After taking in the shock of that, I was awake enough to realize that I was lying on an unfamiliar bed with white sheets. Next to me was a vial of some kind and there were two people talking nearby. I could see them through the corner of my eye. I was too tired to move my head. The first person (probably the person who had spoken earlier) looked sort of like a nurse. The second person was an old man with sparkling blue eyes and a long flowing white beard. He was wearing robes of some sort.

Then it hit me! He might be Dumbledore from the Harry Potter books and the lady could be Madam Pomfrey. But then that would mean that I was inside Hogwarts!

I slowly sat up, shaking with the effort. The lady, Madam Pomfrey as I was beginning to think of her as, briskly walked over and began to get out an enormous chunk of chocolate. She broke off a piece with a small hammer and handed it to me.

"Eat." She said. "We'll explain everything later. Right now you need to rest."

"No. First she must understand. She can rest later." Said the Dumbledore-like man, gliding over. Even though he was so old, he moved very gracefully. "As I understand, your name is Ashley Doyles. Am I correct?" The old man asked.

I nodded, still shaking like crazy. On an impulse I took a bite out of the chocolate without thinking. Suddenly I felt calm and warm. I felt better then I had in a long time.

The old man then continued, "Somehow, for a reason I will speak of only later, a dark wizard tried to summon you to him through a portal. I fear this may just be the first of many times this happens." I gaped at him, unsure of what he meant and whether I really wanted to even know. "Unfortunately for him, as soon as you passed out your mind created another portal which pulled you into it and somehow dropped you off in my office." Although I still felt shocked, I realized that there were no portals in the Harry Potter books. No portals at all. Was all this a dream? Dumbledore continued, "I must say, I've never heard of a magic quite like yours before but I do believe that you're a witch. So now you will be going to Hogwarts. Those American Wizarding Schools always miss the muggle-born witches and wizards. I went to your home and explained this to your parents. They were worried but they will tell your friends and other family that you're at boarding school. The new school year begins in two days. You will stay here until then. After that you will join your house in wherever they sleep for the rest of the school year. Now I must go. I have much to do." And with that he exited the room.

Chapter 3

I was in the Hospital Wing for that day and the day after that. But the next day, a witch with sandy blonde hair, which she wore in a tight bun, and glasses came to help me get the supplies that I would need for Hogwarts. She reminded me a lot of Professor McGonagall.

"My name is Professor Rowling. Come. We have to go and get your school supplies from Diagon Alley."

I stared at her. J.K. Rowling was really Professor McGonagall! How weird would this get?

"Inside my pocket," She explained, "is a portkey. It will take us to Diagon Alley. Put your hand in my pocket."

I jammed my hand in, eager to know what a portkey felt like. She slid her smooth hand over mine. She glanced at the watch on her other hand and counted down softly from 27. "3, 2, 1." She muttered. Then I felt as if I was being pulled by a magnetic, invisible grasp.

As suddenly as it started, it ended. We were in a crowded alley way filled with wizards and witches of every possible race and age that you could imagine. All here.

First, we walked up to a huge building that I guessed to be Gringotts. It was far from how I had imagined it. Much bigger too. We walked inside and over to a desk with a short, ugly goblin sitting at it. Professor Rowling traded muggle money (it must have been from my parents) for Galleons, knuts and sickles. Professor Rowling explained money matters to me. Twenty-nine knuts to a sickle and seventeen sickles to a galleon. That was confusing but I'd get used to it. We got my books, cauldron, potions set and all that stuff and then went to get a wand. As we walked in a light bell rang.

"Mr. Olivanders?" Asked Professor Rowling, looking around. The silence in the shop was almost too much. With all the dust, it looked like no one had been here for centuries. Quietly, an old, white-haired, scary-looking man crept into view. He squinted at me.

"And who might you be? A first-year witch about to start Hogwarts? Don't worry, I'll find the perfect match for you."

He handed me a long, thin stick. So this was a wand. I lifted it up and waved it around. Nothing happened. Mr. Olivanders grabbed it back and gave me lots of other wands to try. I was beginning to get impatient.

Mr. Olivanders looked around the shop. At the way back was a wand in a display case. He took it out and walked slowly towards me, holding the wand like a prized possession. He silently handed it to me.

Professor Rowling snatched the wand out of my hands.

"That wand is not for her!" She glared at him while speaking.

It may as well be." Was Mr. Olivanders reply.

Professor Rowling half staring in disbelief, half glaring, shook her head and handed the wand back to me.

At once I felt the difference from this wand and the rest. I knew that this was the one for me.

Professor Rowling gasped. I stopped my wonderful thoughts and saw her staring at me in horror.

Even Mr. Olivanders jaw was hanging down.

"What?" I asked.

"You were glowing!" Answered the shocked Hogwarts teacher.

Mr. Olivanders took the wand from me carefully. "There is a story," He began. "About this wand. More of a legend with a prophecy mentioned actually. The one destined for this wand is supposed to have a power above all others. They will be the most powerful wizard or witch for centuries before them and centuries after them. The bearer of this wand was, in the legend, going to be wanted by all evil and in danger at all times. The Seer who made this prophecy was Morgan le Faye. After Merlin's death, she made the prophecy. Before that, this wand, 10 1/2 inches, maple wood with the feather of a phoenix, actually belonged to the great wizard Merlin!"

Chapter 4

From reading the Harry Potter books, I knew that Merlin was a famous and powerful wizard. Heck, even muggles who didn't read the Harry Potter books knew who he was. I stared at the wand. My wand. My destined wand. This was amazing! Me? I'd always dreamt I would go on an adventure or have something special happen, but I didn't think that it would be this big. Evil was after me? I was in danger at all times. Whoa!

Professor Rowling paid for my wand, looking and dazed as I felt. I think Mr. Olivanders sold it to me cheap. We walked out and Professor Rowling looked at her list.

"Well that's everything. Unless you want to buy an owl of course. It's probably a good idea. You certainly have enough money. You can always use the school owls but having your own owl is better. They're more attuned to you."

"Okay. Let's go get and owl." I whispered, still dazed. Professor Rowling sighed, took my hand, and started to drag me along. I snapped back to reality (which sounds weird enough since this is a HARRY POTTER PLACE) and struggled to get to my feet.

The owl shop, Eeylops Owl Emporium, was huge! It had so many owls that they were all a blur of feathers and beaks. I looked around the dim building. There were some stairs in the back corner to a second level. The professor was talking to someone so I quietly wandered around, looking at the owls, amazed. They flew around free and if you held you arm out, 5 of them would try to land on it at the same time. I was a petting a tawny brown one and decided to look at the second level to see if there were anymore owls. They tawny brown owl fluttered away as I ascended the steps.

Almost instantly the noise stopped. There was a young woman leaning over a work table. As she sat up, I saw the most magnificent owl of all. The lady saw me and quickly said, "You're not allowed up here! Go downstairs NOW!"

"Sorry." I apologized. "There wasn't a sign or anything. I thought…"

"Well, you thought wrong!" She snapped at me. Someone was sure cranky today. "Go back down!" She ordered.

"But that owl…"

"Now!" She pointed to the stairs. One glance at her stern eyes told me to give up. I started to walk down the stairs and the noise instantly returned. I cringed at the sudden volume. I heard something following me. I looked back. It was the magnificent owl. She landed on my shoulder.

"Mom!" The young lady cried, running down after it.

"This is your mom?" I asked in disbelief.

She nodded slowly. "She's an animagus. She got stuck in owl form."

I stared at her. People could get stuck in their animagus form. This owl was really that lady's mother.

Suddenly the owl slid into a human shape and grew to human size. It became a lady somewhere in her 60s.

Her jaw dropped. "But how…" She stammered. I was stuck. And neither of you were holding a wand. How'd I change back? I…" she spotted the wand in my pocket and gasped. "The wand of Merlin!"

As she said this, I saw Professor Rowling coming over.

"Ashley, let's get going. Have you chosen an owl yet?" she asked.

"This girl," The lady's mother started, "changed me back to my true form when I was stuck in my animagus shape. Without touching her wand!" The whole shop quieted down to watch.

"C'mon." Murmured Professor Rowling, pulling me outside as fast as she could.

"But what about an owl?" I asked.

"Use the school ones. Now put your hand in the pocket with the portkey. I put my hand in and instantly we were off. Seconds later my feet touched ground again. Professor Rowling led me to the Hospital Wing. "Get changed into your robes. The other students will be here soon. Pack up also." She said as if she had a major headache. "I need to speak to Dumbledore.

Chapter 5

She walked away, practically speed walking. I put on my new school robes and got my stuff together. I read until Professor Rowling came and brought me to a little cavern near the lake where the first year's boats would dock. I was so excited. This was it! I was really starting Hogwarts! I would soon be getting sorted just like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were, that is, if they were really real.

After about fiver minutes I saw the boats in the distance, lamps leading the way on the front of each boat. In one more minute I could see people. Finally, the boats docked. The other first years climbed out. Some gave me strange looks for already being there. We followed Professor Rowling into the school. We went up some stairs and stopped at the in a huge room. I guessed that it was the Entrance Hall. She then led us to a smaller room off to the side. Once we were all in I looked back towards the door and was amazed to see a giant man with a huge shaggy beard. Hagrid! How could I have not seen him on the way up to this room? He was so tall! Everything in this world was so different from how I had imagined it. People were beginning to quiet down.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In just a few moments you will be entering the Great Hall. There you'll be sorted into your house. During your stay here, your house will be like your family. You can earn points by answering teachers' questions correctly, by scoring high on tests or any other reason that a teacher sees fit to award points. Any rule breaking and you will loose points. If you have any questions, you can ask your Head of House or a prefect. I will come back when the rest of the school is ready for you. Hagrid will stay here." Professor Rowling then walked out of the room.

As if signaled, the noise level simultaneously went up. All of the first years, except for me, started chatting. I just stood there in my corner, shyly looking around. There were about 40 first years. Some were boys, some were girls. All in the black robes of Hogwarts. We waited for a few minutes until finally Professor Rowling opened the door and motioned for us to come back out into the Entrance Hall. We quieted and followed her. She brought us up to huge doors and moved us into a sort of line. Two by two, by two. When we were ready, the doors opened and we all entered the largest room I've ever been in in my life. The ceiling was identical to the night sky. There were four, long tables with a few hundred students sitting at them. We walked down to the end of the room where a fifth table with chairs only on one side so that the teachers could look out at the students sat. A few of the other first years moved away and I saw a chair with a frayed wizard hat, which must've been the sorting hat, on a stool. A little face was on it. It was hard to see, but obviously there. The brim of the hat pulled open and broke into song.

Welcome students

Young and old

To a place

Where you'll be told

Of intelligent wizards

Unafraid

And therefore remember

For all your days

I'm here to sort

With pleasure and ease

Into houses

One of these

In Gryffindor

There stand the bold

Brave with tales

Of courage untold

In Ravenclaw

The intelligent dwell

Sure that their intellect

Will always be well

The Hufflepuff are

As loyal as can be

With friendship and greatness

As you can see

In Slytherin

Are the sly and cunning

Folks with plans

That they can always keep running

Now you know the houses

And the founders would be proud

Of the students that in this school

Now will happily dwell

So open now

The mind to learn

Good luck on your journey

May your candle always burn

The hats mouth closed to deafening applause that rang throughout the hall. Holding a long scroll with names on it, Professor Rowling stepped forward.

"When I call your name, step forward and try on the hat. It will tell you what house you are in. Aborino, Sorina."

A girl with night black hair and a timid face stepped up to the hat. She quietly lifted it up, put it on, and sat on the stool. It took two whole minutes to sort her. The hat was moving, probably speaking to her. Finally it called out "Gryffindor!" Sorina placed the hat on the chair and ran over to the Gryffindor table which was clapping politely. She looked like she wanted to disappear. I almost laughed. Everyone was nervous, why should I be. It was just a hat. I waited determinedly as five other students were sorted. They were "Awtirn, Jason" and "Benette Zira". Then were three triplets named Aqua, Marina and Aquamarina Danson. Finally she called out "Doyles, Ashley". I walked up and carefully put the hat on, fully aware that all eyes were on me.

"Hmmm….you'd do well in any house, really, but…oh, a smart one I see, lots of courage too. You're definitely a hard one. Oh, really now…that wand…your power…never mind. Gryffindor!" That last word the hat yelled to the entire school. With a small smile on my face I walked to the Gryffindor table amidst the polite clapping. I felt my excitement growing again. Harry Potter had been in this house. I sat down next to Sorina Aborino who was, so far, the only other Gryffindor first year. Seven other students had joined us at the Gryffindor table by the end of the sorting. Two more girls and five boys. Finally, "Zasley, John" was sorted into Ravenclaw. Dumbledore stood up, all eyes on him.

"Welcome first years and welcome back older students. I would make a speech but I know that all of you are hungry. So go ahead and eat. I won't keep you waiting." He sat down.

Instantly, lots of different types of food appeared on the tables. The jugs filled up with what tasted like pumpkin juice (I'm from America. We don't drink pumpkin juice there). I ate until I could eat no more.

Eventually, everyone was full and we were ready to sleep. The prefects led us to our common rooms. A tall, dark skinned boy was the Gryffindor prefect who led us. We came up to a portrait of a fat lady in a frilly pink dress. "Password?" She asked.

"Hinkypunk." Said the prefect. The portrait swung forward and a hole big enough for a person to walk through appeared. We were led through it into a magnificent room with cozy chairs, a lit fireplace, and crimson and gold hangings on the walls. We were told where our dormitories were. (Boys up the steps and to the left. Girls, same to your right). There were four four-posters in my dormitory. Sorina Aborino's four-poster was next to mine. The other two girls introduced themselves as Stella Lucetburg and Nicole Gurrob.

"I always knew I'd come to Hogwarts. My parents are a witch and a wizard. They got me an owl. Look at her. Isn't she soooooooo beautiful?" Stella bragged. Stella seemed like a bit of a snob. Her family had always been witches and wizards, and she was completely spoiled. She and Nicole had been friends since they were little kids and were sticking together.

"She's really cute. I have a cat." Said Sorina. "Her name's Mya. I also have…other pets, at home." Sorina pet her purring cat one last time and then returned to unpacking.

"So what about you, Ashley?" Asked Stella. "Muggle-born or otherwise? Any pets? Anything?"

"I'm muggle-born." I answered. "I only found out that I was a witch two days ago. It's a long story."

"But why were you already here when the rest of us got here?" Asked Nicole, who blushed when I sighed.

"Look, not now. Okay? It's a long story!" I said, attempting to avoid the subject. Sorina gave me a questioning look. Then we all got back to work.

Chap 6

I slept peacefully that night, only awoken by day's light. I read one of my school books (The Standard Book of Spells Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk) until my roommates awoke. Sorina and I walked down to the great hall together.

"Why wouldn't you tell us anything about yourself yesterday?" She asked. "Like why you were here before everyone."

I sighed once again.

"Please!" She begged.

"Okay. I'll tell you, but it's really weird. I started out at a park on the swings. Suddenly the swings went over and back and I was flung into the air."

Sorina gasped.

I continued, "I flew up and somehow my mind created a portal or something. Some evil guy was trying to summon me because I have some different type of magic."

"The Inner Eye?" Asked Sorina.

"Nah. Something else. Dumbledore told me that. Then I stayed here those two days before the school year started and went to get my school supplied with Professor Rowling yesterday. My wand, there's some kind of prophecy about. That the wands owner would have a great power and all evil would be after them, blah, blah, blah. But before that, this was Merlin's wand.

"Are you lying?" Accused Sorina.

"No!" I exclaimed, holding my hands up. "It's all true, but…maybe I'm just dreaming this all. Pinch me."

Sorina leaned over and pinched me.

"Oww! Not that hard!" I said, rubbing my arm.

Sorina grinned. "You're not sleeping." She said happily, skipping along the last few steps. Sorina and I became close friends that very moment. I knew she was someone I could always trust.

She turned back to me and smiled. "C'mon. We'll be late." I rushed after her to the Great Hall."

"Schedules." A first year boy to my right named Ben Nedsra said, passing me a bunch of papers.

I took them and found mine. I handed the rest to Sorina. My schedule was a big chart. There were two classes in the mourning, and then lunch. Then there were two more classes and dinner. Tea was somewhere in there also but I ignored that. It's just tea, which, in America, isn't a big deal. This kind of schedule went on all week, except we had Friday afternoons off, sometimes we had seemingly random breaks and we had nothing Saturday. Then I saw Wednesday night.

"We have a class at midnight?" I asked Sorina, unbelieving.

"Yeah." She answered, sounding overwhelmed. "Don't eat too slowly. We have a class this morning."

We went back to our Dormitory after breakfast, got out Charms books, and went don to Professor Flitwick's classroom. We sat down at out seats as the other students wandered in. Some had gotten lost for a little bit. They started to chat, but Flitwick began to say "Quiet! Attention please! Welcome to Charms class. My name is Professor Flitwick in case you haven't read your schedules closely enough." A few people laughed. "Today we are going to go over some basic wand movements."

'My wand!' I suddenly realized. 'It's on my bed.' I couldn't believe that I had forgotten it.

I could see where it was in my minds eye. All of a sudden, I was in the dormitory. 'How did I get here? I have to get back.' I grabbed my wand and jumped towards the door.

A picture of the classroom flashed before my eyes. I was sitting in my seat again. And everyone was staring at me. Even Professor Flitwick. I felt my face blushing. Now I had a lot of explaining to do. But how to explain?

"Let's just get back to our lesson now. Shall we?" Started Professor Flitwick. "Please open to page 310 and…" He gazed off, still confused. Still surprised.

I was still embarrassed. Why? Why couldn't I have just been a normal witch? This was so humiliating.

The lesson continued. The basic wand movements were easy enough. The rest of the class kept stealing glances at me though.

Afterwards, I ran up to the dormitory and threw myself onto my four-poster, crying. Sorina came in soon afterwards and rushed over to comfort me.

"What's wrong?" She asked, patting my back, sympathetically.

"I wish I'd never even come to Hogwarts!" I cried.

"Shh. Calm down…hey! What's happening?"

I felt a slight tingling all over my body. I looked down and saw myself fading away. I strained as hard as I could.

"You're sliding in and out of view. What's going on?" Asked Sorina. She was backed up against the wall. Evidently, she was afraid of me now.

"Help!" I screamed. Then I slid completely out of view.

Chapter 7

How did it happen? Where was I? I blinked and got used to the dim light. I was in a secret lab cavern or something. Lots of machinery and junk.

"Yes. My plan worked. Her powers can be summoned and used. Now I can rule the world!" The shadowy figure, which had been rubbing its hands together menacingly came into the light and let out an evil laugh. I could almost imagine him saying 'Muhahahahahahaha'. He was a short, fat, evil-looking wizard with an insane greedy gleam in his eyes.

I wanted to get away, to go back to my normal, magic less, non-dangerous muggle life. At least there I wouldn't be considered a freak, or be summoned by one.

Suddenly, I was back on my four-poster at Hogwarts, lying on the bed.

Sorina lifted her head and stared at me. Then she buried her head in her hands again and shook her head.

"What? It wasn't my fault!" I said, shivering.

She just kept shaking her head.

"Let's go. We have Defense Against the Dark Arts…" She trailed off, staring at me, then broke her glance and went over to her chest.

We got our books and wands and we went. The teacher, when we walked in, was talking to a boy in front.

He looked up and saw me.

I blushed. He was kind of young, with night black hair, and startling green eyes. I then realized that he was looking at Sorina. Not at me. I felt disappointment wash over me. He was a really cute teacher. Really tall too. Especially compared to short, old Flitwick.

Sorina was talking to Nicole.

"C'mon. Let's find our seats." I said, giving her a pull towards the front.

She frowned at me. "I'd sorta rather sit in the back here, next to Nicole. She replied.

I sulkily agreed and sat down, almost forgetting my embarrassment at what had happened minutes earlier.

"Hello." Said the teacher smoothly. I squirmed around in my seat. "I'm Professor Potter, your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. This year I'm going to be focusing on…"

I didn't hear the rest. 'Professor Potter?' A black haired man with green eyes? HARRY POTTER! But J.K. Rowling, I mean, Professor Rowling, had only written up to the fifth book. How could Harry be in his twenties when he was supposed to be only 15 years old? 'Wait a second!' I thought, backtracking. I thought Professor Rowling had only written the Harry Potter books for fun. Was she really trying to warn muggles about You-Know-Who? I mean, Voldemort? I was so confused.

"We'll start out with some basics." Professor Potter finished. "Okay. Get your books out to page 1. It's an easy enough chapter to read. Start now." I opened my book and read.

After dinner, that day, I stumbled into the common room and dragged myself over to a cozy, red chair in front of the fireplace. There were way too many steps in Hogwarts and even more ways to get lost! As I collapsed onto it, Professor Rowling came in through the portrait hole and looked around. She spotted me and briskly walked over.

"The headmaster would like to speak to you." She said, practically commanding me to get up, judging by the tone in her voice. I followed her, barely awake after a day like that. Everyone at dinner kept pointing at me and whispering. The whole school must've known about my disappearing act by then! We walked up to a pair of stone gargoyles.

"Puking Pastilles." She said promptly. Soon enough we were in Dumbledore's office. Flitwick and Potter (I've got to stop saying Professor. It takes too long.) were there too.

"Ashley," Began Dumbledore. "It has been brought to my attention that your 'other' powers have been acting up lately."

Professor Flitwick nodded (see! I still can't say just Flitwick).

Dumbledore continued, "It has been decided that must learn to control your powers better as to not…disturb, the other students."

I understood that. Disturbing the other students. They disturbed me by whispering and pointing at me all day long.

"Since Professor Potter, here, also has another type of magic, he will be your teacher. You will report to his office on Friday's at 6 o' clock. You may go now."

As I walked away, back to the Gryffindor tower, I smiled. Lessons with the cute, Harry Potter. Maybe Hogwarts wasn't so bad.

Chapter 8

I couldn't sleep that night. As tired as I was earlier, now I was wide awake! I went over to the window and looked, leaning against the wall. I had never really had a chance to see Hogwarts. On my way to Herbology I'd been too busy trying to ignore everyone staring at me because of what had happened earlier in Charms. The forest was beautiful. Even though it was called the "Forbidden Forest", it looked so inviting. It looked like such a wonderful place. It was hard to believe that this was where Lupin had changed into a werewolf, Harry and Ron had almost been eaten by Aragog, and Grawp had lived.

Suddenly some bushes moved. Out walked a scaly-skinned, winged creature. A thestral? But how could I see them? I'd never seen someone die. I decided it was because of my other powers.

There was never a dull moment at Hogwarts. All of a sudden, the thestral pounced. A little owl was being attacked by it. I was suddenly down there, outside. Not a portal again! I groaned, running towards the owl. I grabbed it and hugged it close. The thestral glared and galloped back into the forest.

I walked around the school to the front door. As I was walking through the Entrance Hall, another first year ran over. What was she doing down here at 11:00 at night? She glared at me accusingly and hissed through her teeth, "That's my owl! Hive me her back!" I recognized the girl as a Slytherin. She had glaring eyes, long black hair and an olive green night gown.

"You should take better care of her. She was being attacked when I saw her." I said, giving the owl a little pat and handing her over.

"Freak! I'm gonna tell on you for stealing. You'll get a detention for sure!" With that, the girl stomped away. Well, now I'd already made somebody hate me.

The next morning, I was extremely tired. After breakfast, Sorina and I finally found our way to the Potions class. She acted less afraid of me and I told her I was sorry and that I had no control over what had happened. I told her I'd try to control it better though.

So we went down to the Potions class, friends again. I remembered Snape from the Harry Potter books. Potions was a bad class in a bad place. When we walked in, I was surprised not to see a mean, greasy black haired, Slytherin-like man but a nice looking lady.

"What about Snape?" I asked Sorina. She gave me a weird look.

"He hasn't aught here for a few YEARS! He left. I heard from a family friend's son that he was really mean to everyone who wasn't in Slytherin. But I've also heard that this teacher, Professor Liatrix looks nice, but is a total and complete rat when she wants to be." Warned Sorina.

I was about to reply, but a rough, scratchy voice began to say, "Sit down. Sit down. NOW! 5 points from Gryffindor." It was Professor Liatrix. She really could be a total "rat" as Sorina called her. "Now. We're making a growth potion. The directions are on the board. QUIET MR. RAFIACO! Start!" It wasn't all that great of a way to introduce a class, but at least there were instructions. I squinted up at the board. SCRIBBLE! You couldn't read a word she had written.

"Is there a problem, Miss Doyle?" She asked, sneaking up behind me, making me jump.

"Sort of. You see, I can't read the…"

"The instructions are very clear." She cackled at me. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Now, what's your problem?"

"Nothing." I mumbled.

"Good." She walked away. I glared at her behind her back.

"She's such a toad!" Giggled Sorina, seeing me glare.

"What is it with you and comparing people to animals?" I demanded.

"Her father owns a magical creature zoo. That's why." Answered Stella, even though I hadn't asked her.

Sorina blushed. "Yeah. But it's sort of embarrassing, you know, having a dad without a proper job. It's kinda humiliating in a way." She explained.

"That's okay. It' cooler then my parent's jobs. My mom's a doctor and my dad's a lawyer. Not all too great, huh?" I told her.

"Well, my parents work in the Ministry of Magic. My dad's in The Department of Gold Circulation, and my mom's in the Apparation Test Center. They have great jobs." Stella said proudly.

Sorina rolled her eyes.

"Better get back to work." I said, lighting a fire under Sorina's cauldron while she began to decipher the instructions. I glanced at Professor Liatrix. She was explaining the board to the girl who didn't take care of her owl. I nudged Sorina and asked, "Who's that girl that Liatrix is helping over there?"

She glanced up. "Oh, that's Flora Marigold. A true Slytherin if I ever saw one. She's a snobby stuck-up, stupid, rich, brat!" Described Sorina with extreme dislike.

The lesson went on. It was impossible and annoying. We just barely survived.

"Where to next?" I asked, trying to be optimistic.

After another hard day of work and incredibly strict teachers (or boring in Professor Binn's case), I went to Professor Potter's office for my first "special lesson".

I tried to hold back my smile, but I didn't have much luck. When I finally remembered that this was still a class, I stopped smiling and groaned. Why did I WANT another lesson? I continued walking. Oh well. Not like I had a choice or anything.

Finally I made it. I took a deep breath and opened the door. Professor Potter was sitting at his desk, writing. I stepped in. He looked up and his amazing green eyes met mine. He pushed back his chair and stood up.

"Have a seat." He said. I sat at one of the desks, glumly. "Now as you know, you need to learn to control your "special" powers. Not only are some of the other student s bit, erm…disturbed by it, but it could be very dangerous. Although Dumbledore's hoping for me to teach you control and the proper usage, it'll be difficult." He sighed. "Although I've mastered the special kind of magic I have (pg 843, book 5, last paragraph), nobody else in the world that we know of has a type of magic like yours. And nobody else has at least 3 evil wizards focused on kidnapping them and stealing their magic either."

Chapter 9 A Magnet Again

I stared at him in shock. It seems as though I've been doing a lot of staring at people lately.

The professor went on, "We'll experiment with what you can do later. For now, let's start with an exercise."

I nodded slowly.

He explained, "Concentrate on doing a certain thing. Don't try to make a portal. Try something simpler such as moving a book with your mind. Okay? Ready? Try it."

I concentrated on a book floating. I could see it in my minds eye. I heard a gasp. Was it working? I eagerly opened my eyes, but to my disappointment all the books were staying put. Professor Potter was staring at me, openmouthed as if her were frozen. My vision began to fade. I heard a shout. The classroom dripped out of sight. Blackness then overtook me.

I opened my eyes but still saw nothing. Something hard slammed into my stomach. I grunted, clutching my stomach so I wouldn't barf.

"Don't kick it." Growled a man's voice. "He wants her in good condition. Just pick up the sack and let's scram." Someone lifted me into the air. I once again had to keep myself from throwing up. Now I knew I was in a sack, but how?

"How did you get me?" I tried to ask. I can only say I tried because no sound came form my mouth. I screamed. No noise.

"I guess this portal magnet thing really does work then. The boss wasn't lying." Said a second voice that sounded like a gangster.

So that was how they got me. I must've created a portal by accident. I felt a jolt of fear. I had to get back to Hogwarts! The man which these kidnappers work for must've been one of the 3 evil wizards after my magic. Was that even possible? I almost laughed. Anything was possible. Why in less then a month I had gone from a book-loving muggle girl to a girl with magnificent powers straight out of a Harry Potter book. Then a though I hadn't considered came to mind. What if this was all a dream? After all, I had always longed for adventure. Couldn't my imagination create my dearest wish in a dream?

The guy carrying me threw me over his shoulder. My teeth banged together with extreme pain. It wasn't as intense as the pain in my arm though, which had hit something and felt useless and broken.

"Hey! She hit me!" Complained the man carrying me.

"So hit her back then."

His hand slapped me harder then a baseball hitting a window and breaking it. Coincidentally, he hit me right on my weak spot, my broken arm. I cried out in pain, but no noise came out of my mouth. Tears were streaming down my face. Once again I was helpless.

I sat huddled and bunched up, crying for about half and hour. Nobody spoke. Only footsteps, which were barely audible, could be heard. Finally, I was placed gently down onto the floor. I reached up with my good hand (luckily it was my right one) and tried to find a knot or a hole in the sack. There was nothing I could get to form the inside. I couldn't even poke through the sack because the material was so thick.

A portal! The second the thought entered my mind I knew what I had to do. Why hadn't I thought of it before? I concentrated on making a portal. With no image to go by, all I got was headache. But charms class! I remembered how I had seen the room and was instantly there. I pictures Professor Potter's room. A second later I felt myself flying through nothingness.

Then, with a grunt, I found myself kneeling on hard ground with the wind knocked out of me. Someone grabbed my shoulders.

"I thought I said don't make a portal! Are you okay? What happened?"

I forced myself to open my eyes and found Professor Potter kneeling in front of me looking concerned. Behind him I glimpsed Dumbledore and two ladies. One was in her 20s or so with long, bushy brown hair. The other was tall and slim with less bushy brown hair and deep-as-a-well brown eyes. They both looked worried.

"Ashley, what happened?" Professor Potter's voice shook me back to reality.

Staring at nothing, open-mouthed, I shook my head. "I…I'm not sure!" I stuttered. "Some guys…a magnet…in a sack…what happened? I made a portal…? I rambled on, so very unsure of what I was saying.

"Start back at the beginning." Said Dumbledore, calmly.

So I explained, best I could, what had happened.

The bushy brown haired girl gave a weak laugh when I had finished. "Sounds almost like your life, Harry."

"Hermione, stop." He said, distracted.

'Hermione!' I thought. 'I can't believe I'm in the same room as my idol! But who's the other lady…?'

"It's okay, Ashley." Said Dumbledore, reassuringly, his eyes serious. "You just need to be more careful."

"Who was that?" I asked, my thoughts still confusing.

"The man who summoned you?" Asked Dumbledore faintly. "Probably one of the 3 known wizards after your magic. I'm not sure how they all know. Something about the prophecy told them, I guess. I don't yet know the exact words. The wizards after you? Oh yes, the first one is a lunatic practically. He is referred to in the prophecy you're mentioned in as the "One with the laugh." Very odd name, isn't it?" Dumbledore sighed. "If only I knew the whole prophecy."

"Go on, professor. Who are the other wizards?" Asked Hermione.

"Ah, yes. The second wizard is the "One who does nothing." He's the one who had others do everything for him. Except for plotting, of course."

I nodded. "That was probably the one whose men just…took, me. The "One with the laugh" would be the one right after the Charms class."

Dumbledore nodded. "The third is the One whose father fell." He supposedly will try to take revenge on the student of his former rival."

Harry laughed. "Sounds like it could be Malfoy."

Dumbledore eyed him knowingly.

The tall and slim girl with the straight brown hair and the deep eyes, who seemed to be unnoticed by everyone else in the room, stepped back quietly, her eyes widening.

"Oddly enough, Draco Malfoy hasn't been heard from in weeks. And no-one knows where he is."

Harry choked. "You mean…?"

Dumbledore replied solemnly, "Yes. The third wizard may as well be Mr. Malfoy. He would've been the first wizard to summon Ashley. Or, if I call her by her name in the prophecy, the "One who can save us all or grant to evil, horrible power.""

Chapter 10

My jaw dropped. It really did. My name in the prophecy was the "One who could save us all or grant evil horrible power"? What did it mean?

"Whoa." Whispered Hermione in awe.

"Yeah." I agreed, still in shock. "Whoa."

Dumbledore stood abruptly. "I probably should have waited. An eleven year old shouldn't have to worry about things like this…"

"She's better off knowing." Interrupted Potter. "At least she'll know what's going on."

Dumbledore sighed. "There's no taking it back now, anyway. Let's go to my office. There's someone I want Ashley to meet."

Harry, Hermione and I walked through the door as Dumbledore held it open for us. He let go before the other lady went through.

"What about the other lady in there?" I asked.

"Who?" Said Dumbledore, surprised.

"The one with straight-ish brown hair and she's pretty tall…"

"Emma!" Accused Dumbledore angrily, slamming open the door that had just swung closed. "I told you to stay in my office! You shouldn't have followed me."

Harry and Hermione gave me questioning looks as if to say "Who's he talking to."

They glanced up and their eyes widened.

"Sorry Professor." Said the lady, speaking for the first time.

Dumbledore groaned. "Ashley, this is Emma. She can also help you with your powers. She can make herself invisible. Unfortunately, she MISUSES THE PRIVELAGE!"

Emma winced guiltily. "Sorry." She whispered.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyone know what time it is?"

Harry glanced at his watch. "Almost 10. We'd all better get some rest."

Dumbledore nodded. "Good idea Harry. If you don't mind, could you and Emma try to give Ashley another lesson tomorrow night? Lessons will be more infrequent once Ashley's stopped getting herself into trouble, but for now I think every night or every other night would be a good idea."

"Fine with me." Said Harry, glancing at Emma. "You?"

"Sure." Said Emma confidently. "Tomorrow night."

Then we all went to bed. Sorina was still awake when I climbed into my four-poster.

"What happened?" She asked quietly.

"I'll tell you tomorrow." I mumbled, hoping that tomorrow I could be more normal then I was today.

Unfortunately, I hoped wrong.

Chapter 11

"So what happened?" Asked Sorina. "Why'd you come back to the tower so late?"

I sighed. This could take a while. Careful not to scare Sorina too much, I told everything that happened with almost perfect detail. The horror I felt at being kidnapped. The pain in my arm and how Madam Pomfrey had fixed it. About my shock when I heard the parts f the prophecy. When I was done, I looked up.

Sorina's eyes were wide open and her jaw was hanging down.

"Sorina, please don't hate me!" I cried desperately. "I can't help it! I'm trying to get better though, I really am."

She realized she was staring and shook her head. "Malfoy, granting evil horrible powers, all that! It's crazy! I can't believe…I mean…I'm here for you." She finished determinedly.

I gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks."

"No problem." She replied. "No problem at all. I mean, I'll get used to the whole portal thing. Thanks for trusting me." She said.

"You're welcome." I said sincerely. "Without you, I don't know if I could take it. I'm too much of a freak as it is with all this portal nonsense. What I really need now is a friend."

Sorina nodded. Then laughing, she said, "This is starting to sound like a soppy love story."

I smiled in agreement. "You're right. Wanna play chess?"

Sorina narrowed her eyes. "You're going down." She said, like one of the cowboys in those old western movies.

"This town ain't big enough for the both of us." I replied, the same way.

Laughing, we got out a chess board and set up the pieces. Thankfully there were no classes that morning. I just hoped that this chess was like the type Ron was so good at.

After playing a few rounds of chess (which WAS like the type in the HP books), we went downstairs to get breakfast, although it was really lunchtime. We sat down at the Gryffindor table, chatting about how cool Hogwarts was.

Professor Potter (I should just say Potter, shouldn't I? Harry did.) came over to me. "Ashley, tonight at 9 we'll meet you on the seventh floor, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by trolls." He explained.

"Why?" I asked, confused. It sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it.

"Just be there. We're going to teach you in a special room. A very special room."

My eyes must've lit up. Which room? The Room of Requirement? The room where Harry saw the Mirror of Erised first. WHERE!

Potter returned to the teachers table.

"What was that about?" Asked Sorina. "The lessons, duh, but why a special room? What's wrong with the classrooms?"

I sighed. "Have you ever read the Harry Potter series?" I asked her.

Sorina laughed. "You mean the story of Professor Potter's life that Professor Rowling wrote so muggles would think that any thing they found out about our world was for the books and movies? Of course not. Why would I need to? I'm sure it'd be interesting. I heard they're almost completely true."

"Well, maybe you should read them." I said, secretively. "There are some things that, if they're true, are probably not what you expected from him."

Sorina rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Maybe I will, someday. Hurry up! I need to finish my Potions report."

I groaned. "Don't remind me. Why'd she have to give us homework on the first day of school?"

"I know." Agreed Sorina. "She's such a warthog"

I sighed. "Animal?"

She giggled. "Sorry. It's just something you'll have to get used to."

Chapter 12

I was careful not to think of any place other then where I was at that exact moment. All day, I was afraid I would make a portal accidentally and be considered even more of a freak. 'Poor Harry.' I thought to myself after another first year girl backed away from me as if I were a werewolf or something scary. Now I knew how he had felt in his second year at Hogwarts. By the end of the day I had had it!

"Leave me alone, you jerks!" I shouted at a bunch of Slytherin 3rd years that had cornered me, asking 'how the heck I had done that crazy magic inside Hogwarts.' I pushed past them and ran up to Gryffindor tower, determined to skip the rest of my classes.

On my mad rush up the stairs I saw Emma slowly coming down. By then it was too late to stop running. I crashed into her and we went tumbling down the stairs, rolling over and over. We ended up tangled under a giant tapestry at the foot of the stairs.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

Emma gave me a strict look. "You shouldn't be up there. You're supposed to be in class."

I looked away, feeling ashamed. "I just wanted to get away from everyone."

Emma sighed. "Getting away from everyone is one thing but running away from your problems is another. Listen, I know everyone's teasing you, but you've got to get over it! Learn to control your portals and everyone will forget about it by next week. If you keep making portals by accident though, you will be considered freaky and there'll be nothing you can do about that."

I wiped a tear from my eye. "Sorry." I mumbled, staring at my feet

She put her arm over my shoulder. "It's okay, Ashley."

"Sorry, I'm just not used to this…world. I was normal and then that, that THING happened!" I sobbed.

Emma patted me supportingly on the back. "Relax. If you work hard on your special lessons, then you'll be fine. Okay?"

I nodded, crying less then I was before. "Sorry."

She squeezed my shoulder. "It's fine. You'd better get to class now."

I picked up my books and went down to History of Magic. When I sat down in my seat (Binns never noticed that I was missing), Sorina patted me on the back. I smiled, weakly. It was good at least to have friends. I knew that Sorina and Emma would always be there for me.

Chapter 13

A month went by and by going to my special lessons every Friday, my control grew steadily better (I still hadn't realized what was so special about the room though). Others began to stop teasing me. Stella and Nicole became my friends also, although Sorina was always my best friend. I, Ashley Doyles, finally became a normal a witch as I possibly could be.

I advanced through my first month at Hogwarts with almost no more problems. The work was hard, but with Sorina's help we were both able to finish every assignment on time. I practiced the few spells we had already learned until I could do them without even thinking. I never really got any better at potions. Sorina always had to read Liatrix's handwriting. As long as I didn't call any attention to myself in that class, life was great!

As I entered the room that had been laid aside for my "special magic" lessons, I saw Professor Potter looking thoughtfully at some parchment he was holding, his eyebrows furrowed. He had a quill in his hand and was waving it as if he were trying to think.

"Hello." I greeted brightly.

Potter glanced up and then looked back down. "Hello Ashley." he sighed and put down the parchment and quill. "Have you seen Emma lately?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Not since last week's lesson." Usually I would bump into her in the hall once or twice. This week I hadn't.

"Hmmm." he said, obviously distracted.

"Why?" I asked.

He looked back up. "Oh, no reason. I think Dumbledore said she was sick. I wasn't sure if she had gotten better. Ready to start?"

I shrugged. "I guess."

"Good." He strode over as I sat down at a desk. "You've been practicing clearing your mind every night. It shows. You haven't lost control at all lately."

I grinned at his almost compliment. Although I still thought he was cute, I was no longer crazy about him. It's hard to be in love with your teacher.

"Now it is time to take the next step," he continued. "I want you to actually make a portal. No, not yet. Start when I say 'begin'. First I want to tell you how to control it and not be…magnetized."

I winced. I hadn't had any problems with the three evil wizards since the first time I had my first lesson with Potter.

"I want you to imagine there is a brick wall guarding your mind. See it if you can." I tried this. "I would have suggested trying to completely clear your mind, but you use your powers by thinking of another place, right?"

I nodded, answering, "I have to see the place in my mind's eye to be there. But it might be hard to imagine the wall _and_ the place."

He looked thoughtful at this. "Maybe…never mind. How about you try to imagine the place behind the wall? Would that work?"

I closed my eyes, then immediately opened them. "I would try, but I don't want to go anywhere. What if it doesn't work though? Somehow They could catch me again!"

Potter put his hand on my shoulder. "There's only one way to find out."

I took a deep breath.

"Okay." I closed my eyes, imagining the Gryffindor common room. Quickly, I made myself see a transparent brick wall between the room and me.

Suddenly, I was there. But somehow, it wasn't the same as the other times. I looked down and gasped. My feet were floating 4 feet off the floor. I took a deep breath and raised my hand. It was nearly transparent. Feeling faint, I tried to sit down on my bed. Without control, I slid through it. I choked back a scream. I was sitting through my bed. Half of my body was above, and half was below. I breathed deeply again and stood up. I slid up with no problems. I waved my hand through some books that Stella had left sitting on her desk. My hand went through them. "Whoa." I whispered, hoping that I could always get back to my original state of body.

The door slammed open. Stella and Nicole walked in, chatting about a cute Ravenclaw boy named Michael. I waited for them to see me and begin shrieking. Somehow though, neither of them saw me. In fact, Stella was staring right through me. She reached for her books that were behind me. I rushed to move to the side, but I was just not quick enough. My hand came into contact with Stella's. She yelped and pulled back. Her eyes were wide and searching. She couldn't see me? Her hand had gone right through mine and she couldn't even see me.

Nicole gave her an odd look. "What?" She asked.

Stella stared at her books, and then shook her head. Never mind. Just a chill." She gave me one last look and took her books. The two raced from the room, chatting about Michael again.

I took a deep breath and imagined myself in Potter's room again, again behind a brick wall. But this time I added my body to the image I was seeing.

In a flash, I was back in Potter's room and I was solid again. Excitedly, I told Professor Potter what had happened.

When I was finished, he told me, "Your body had stayed here. I tried to wake you, but nothing happened."

I was jumping with pleasure now. "This is so neat!" I cried.

Potter gave me a stern look. "Ashley, you have to be careful. Don't misuse you powers in any way. Understand?"

I shrugged, put down a little bit. It would've been fun to spy on Stella and Nicole; maybe even my parents. "I won't. Can I go now?"

He rolled his eyes. "Go ahead. We've gotten far enough for one day. But please me mature, Ashley. Be responsible."

I giggled. "With great power comes great responsibility." I said, quoting Spiderman.

He looked me in the eye. "Exactly."

I laughed and left, knowing that the Boy-Who-Lived was solemnly sitting behind me, hoping I wouldn't get myself into trouble.

Chapter 14

I told Sorina about the experiment and we both shrieked with excitement. I think she may have been a little bit shocked, but she was getting used to the oddness of me.

"So, what are you going to do with your powers? Find out the answers to a quiz or test?" asked Sorina excitedly.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not allowed. I'm supposed to be 'responsible'. How am I supposed to get any better with my powers if I can't even use them?"

"Whatever." Sorina replied. "At least you _have_ them."

After that, we got back to work.

"Drat." I muttered a few minutes later. "I left my potions essay in the library. I'll be right back."

"Okay." Answered Sorina, too wrapped up in her astrology chart to really be listening.

I got up and exited the portrait hole (the fat lady was preoccupied and told me that I'd "better be back soon or else." I snuck down to the library, the school quiet and dark. I hoped that Peeves wouldn't come out of nowhere and attack me, not that I'd seen or even heard about him in the reality of Hogwarts. Maybe he had just been made up for the muggle stories.

I reached the library and was about to go in when I remembered that my work could also be hidden under the junk on my four-poster. I groaned, but tried to open the library door anyway. Maybe it _was_ here. I didn't want to waste my time going up and down the stairs just in case.

The door was locked. I snarled at it. It was way too late to be fighting a door. "Open you dumb thing! Alohamora!" I tried to open it again. It wouldn't budge. I slumped against the wall. Maybe…. I stood up again. I closed my eyes, facing the door and imagined the library behind a brick wall. If I could see if my work was in there in the first place, a lot of my time could be saved.

I was floating above the shelves. There were so many books from up here! Thousands maybe!

"She's in danger now! She has to be more careful!" I floated towards a small alcove in the upper corner of the library. It was a little area that the librarian used to oversee the library. There were steps that led up to it. I floated over and saw Rowling, Dumbledore and Potter all standing there in their normal clothes. Why were they in the library at this time? I sheepishly thought of my non-moving body sitting outside the doors. Never mind. I wondered who they were talking about.

"She can do almost anything now. She could change the outcome of the world even!" Potter continued. Knowing that they couldn't see me, I wandered closer. Were they talking about me?

"Harry, calm yourself. I doubt she's that much of a danger. You just need to relax…"

"No! Trust me." Potter begged, interrupting Dumbledore. "She has got to learn control soon or, or…"

"Potter, listen to yourself. How much harm can an eleven yea old girl do?" commanded Rowling.

I floated as near as I would dare to, sure that it was me they were talking about.

He took a deep breath. "She can float around the castle invisibly with nobody even knowing. From what I've guessed, her powers could act up at any moment and bring her to the…evil wizards. Dumbledore, we've got to learn the whole prophecy. If it says that she can grant power to evil or good, then we have to figure out how to keep her on the good side!"

Dumbledore sighed. "I've been trying to learn the prophecy, Harry. It's like it was never recorded. People know about how Merlin's wand's new owner is powerful, how could they not, but no one seems to know the whole prophecy together."

Rowling sighed. "There has to be something we can do."

Dumbledore nodded. "Perhaps there is, but for now let's just treat her like a normal student. She hasn't lost control lately, has she?"

Potter shook his head.

"Then we are doing the best we can."

Potter nodded, hopelessly. "I sure hope she doesn't go to the evil side."

Dumbledore put his hand on Potter's shoulder. "I hope so too."

Chapter 15

Almost in shock, I returned myself to my body and hurried upstairs. So what if I didn't have my work. It was probably on my bed anyway.

I ran through the portrait hole to the Gryffindor common room and threw myself onto a chair, almost crying. I was just a plaything for the Hogwarts teachers. A bomb that could go off any moment on either side of Good or Evil. I was just an object to be controlled by one of the sides. I half wished that I was still a muggle, at home in my muggle house with my muggle problems and my muggle life. Why did I have to be some kind of freak? I sobbed into my hands as quietly as I could.

"Ashley?" asked a voice from behind me. Without turning, I knew it was Sorina. She came and sat down next to me. I told her what I had heard, in whispers just in case another student was down here. She patted my back sympathetically. I felt like such a baby, crying my eyes out. I wiped my tears off my face and stood up.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"It's okay." She replied. "C'mon. Let's go to bed. It's already 10:00. You can do your work tomorrow." We went upstairs, both thinking the same thing. "What have I gotten myself into?"

The next day, we both acted as if nothing had happened. Stella obnoxiously asked us why we hadn't been in bed when we were supposed to. I told her to bug off and Nicole giggled.

We all talked like crazy about everything we could ever want to. It was like I finally had friends again. I didn't tell Stella and Nicole anything about my portal powers, but I did explain some other stuff about myself. Like the fact that I thought Harry was a hot teacher. Nicole and Stella, giggling some more, agreed. Sorina, however, frowned.

Later she said to me, "It seems weird that you have a crush on Professor Potter. I mean, he's a TEACHER! He even saved the world. You can't just have a crush on him. Besides, I think he's engaged already." She finished desperately.

I was a bit surprised to hear that. "To who?" I asked. It was a thing that any Harry Potter fan would love to know. Harry and Ginny? Harry and Hermione? Harry and Luna? WHO!!!!

Sorina shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't really listen to those kinds of things."

I rolled my eyes.

We walked down to breakfast. At the Gryffindor table we sat, impatient for the food to appear. We were somewhat early, but not early enough to be there before the teachers, who were usually there before the students so that they could finish with enough time to prepare for their lessons. I scanned the teachers table and whispered to Sorina, "Look. Professor Potter isn't there. I wonder where he is."

Sorina gave an exasperated sigh. "It doesn't matter, Ashley. Just forget it." We waited for a while until the other students had mostly all trickled in and the food had appeared. I had glanced up at the teachers table a few times and Potter still wasn't there. Was he skipping breakfast or something?

Suddenly, the owls began to fly in through the windows. Everyday since my first day there, this had always made me jump. One of the owls. A magnificent white one, flew down and landed in front of me. It ruffled its beautiful feathers impatiently. I gasped at it's amazing looks.

Sorina nudged me. "Aren't you going to take the letter?" Snapping back to attention, I released the owl from it's package. It flew away and back outside. I opened the letter carefully. It was a short note saying:

"Ashley,

Meet me in the room again tonight. I want to explore something else with your magic. Hopefully Emma will be there this time.

Professor Potter"

I folded up the note and tucked it safely away into my bag. Later tonight I could handle. We had finished the potions essay (it had been on my bed the whole time) so that was one less thing to worry about. Since it was a Saturday, I could finish any homework I had left from this past week tomorrow.

Sorina and I spent the day lounging by the lake, finishing some small homework assignments, and looking wishfully at the quidditch field. While I had never actually had the chance to ride a broomstick yet, I couldn't wait until Wednesday, out first Quidditch lesson. It happened to be with the Slytherins (some things never change), but they weren't as bad as they had been in the Harry Potter books. True, Flora Marigold still was stuck up and acted like I had stolen her owl, but overall it wasn't so bad. The Ravenclaw quidditch team had been practicing. We decided to go over and watch them for a bit. They were good. They made incredibly sharp turns and flew to amazing heights. I wanted so much to fly like them some day.

That evening, I returned to the room where I usually had my portal lessons. Potter was there, and this time so was Emma.

"What do you mean, you forgot!" Potter yelled at Emma.

Emma blushed. "I'm sorry. I was on a date and…, well, it lasted longer then I thought it would and…sorry."

"You missed something incredibly important, you…," his face was turning red now. He turned sharply and saw me standing in the doorway. He relaxed. "I'm sorry Ashley. I was just telling Emma that she shouldn't have skipped last night. Now, let's return to…" Just then, Rowling poked her head in the door.

"Harry, I'd like to have a word with you. It'll be quick." She said. Harry nodded and walked out with her.

Emma sighed. "Sorry I forgot about last night. I was on a date."

"I heard," I replied, grinning. "With who?"

Emma began to blush and a smile appeared mischievously on her face. "Ron Weasley." She giggled.

My jaw must've dropped. I was smiling and thinking "OH MY GOD!", but that didn't matter. Emma just looked at me and began laughing at the look on my face. Just then, Potter reentered the room looking furious.

"YOU WENT OUT WITH RON!!!!???" he shouted.

Emma winced. "Yep."

Potter stood there, speechless. I looked at them both and burst into laughter. What a evening this would be.

Chapter 16

That lesson was spent mostly just trying to calm Potter down about his co-teacher going out with is best friend. I must admit though, it was very amusing! At the end of the lesson we had accomplished nothing and I was allowed to return to my room. I considered trying to portal back, but decided not to risk it. I still didn't know how to do it correctly without getting captured.

"Hey Sorina," I called as I threw my school stuff onto an un-used desk and collapsed into a big red armchair.

"Hey," she replied, her mind obviously on other things. I glanced over to see what she was doing and was surprised to see that she was staring at her open potions book, but not actually reading it.

"What up?" I asked her.

She gave me a strange look, "huh? The sky?"

I sighed. Sometimes it was hard being American in an English school. "What's going on?" I asked, exasperatedly.

"Oh, nothing," she responded.

I shrugged at opened my potions book. About had way through the page I got stuck. "Hey Sorina, what's the most important ingredient in a hair growth potion?"

She didn't hear me.

"Sorina?" I asked, getting up. I glanced over her shoulder and gasped.

Then, slowly, I stopped and returned to normal, acting as odd as Sorina had. And just as zombie-like. Or should I say, just as hypnotized.

Chapter 17

The book was a hypnotizer. We sat there for who knows how long. Finally, a spirit seemed to enter the room. In my mind's eye I could see a greedy smile within the invisible evil presence. "So I caught my hook and my hook caught my catch," it jeered. Somehow, just because of it's presence in the room, I could tell that whoever this was, whatever it was, it had used it's malicious book to lure Sorina and then when I realized something was wrong it would capture me it's mesmerizing gaze also. As much as we both wanted to move or do something, we were helpless.

I felt my body being lifted off my feet, and knew that the same was happening to Sorina. We floated for a few seconds, and then seemed to touch down on solid floor. Immediately, I regained power over my body. I stumbled and quickly stopped myself. Glancing at Sorina, I found her to be paralyzed with fear.

The room we were in was dark and almost completely in shadows. It looked somewhat familiar. Was it the crazy evil wizard's lair? It sure seemed like it.

"Who and where are you?" I asked as clearly and calmly as I could. I had suspected that there would be another attempt at capturing me, but I never thought that Sorina would be captured too. I waited for a reply, but to my dismay I heard none.

Sorina whimpered. I gave her a questioning look and saw she was looking incredibly scared. She gave me a desperate gaze as she breathed in low, shallow breaths.

"Calm down, Sorina. We'll be okay. I promise I can get us out of this. I'm going to try something. If anything happens, shake me until I answer." I took a deep breath. I hoped I could do this.

"Wait," Sorina interrupted, sounding like a lost child. "Is this place…one of the evil 3 wizards places? I…" She sounded as scared as a person facing a life or detah decision. I put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Relax. I'll be right back." With that, I shut my eyes and imagined Dumbledore's office behind a semi-transparent brick wall.

With a whoosh of air, I was there (hey a poem!) and I saw Dumbledore pacing. Potter burst in the door and stomped over to him!

"She could be spying on us for heavens sake! We've got to figure out how she can control her powers! She's not mature enough to use them correctly and honestly, Emma's not a great role model. I mean, missing a lesson in order to go out with my best friend. SERIOUSLY!!!!!" he shouted in a rage!

"Harry, calm down," Dumbledore ordered the angry teacher. "We'll work it out. We have bigger problems now. Look at this." He handed Potter a letter.

He angrily grabbed it and looked down. Almost instantly he went pale. "Emma," he gasped, mouth open in shock. I tried to float closer to see what it read but stopped myself. I had a bigger problem right now. I just hoped it would work.

"Dumbledore!" I shouted as loud as I could.

Dumbledore glanced up as if he had heard a small far off voice. Then he shook his head and looked down.

I tried again. "Professor Dumbledore and Professor Potter!' I shouted even louder."

Potter jumped. "Did you hear that?" he asked Dumbledore incredulously.

Dumbledore nodded. "It sounded like Ashley. I… Ashley are you in here…in a matter of speaking?"

"YES!" I shouted back.

Potter shook his head in amazement. "Where are you?" he asked.

I ignored him and tried to explain to Dumbledore my situation. After all, I could only yell so much before I lost my voice. Even in this creepy spirit-like form I still could wear out my throat.

Dumbledore alertly nodded and took notes. He immediately grabbed his wand and a mirror and walked out the door.

I guessed that he was heading to the Gryffindor common room to see what he could do.

"He's probably going to the Gryffindor Tower." Harry explained, being unable to see the understanding on my face. As I felt someone shaking my physical body, I rolled my invisible eyes and shouted one last bye.

Right before I left I thought I heard him mutter, "I guess I'd better go save Emma." He almost sounded love struck and awkward. I immediately dismissed that though. He already had Hermione to be in love with…and Emma had Ron. Right?

Instantaneously, I was back in the dark place with Sorina frantically shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes and scanned our surroundings. Still darkness but we could hear footsteps coming from one area of it.

"I'm here." I whispered to Sorina.

"Footsteps!" she cried, softly!

"Then it's the crazy one. Shh. We have to be careful." I told her.

"I know," she said. "That I definitely do know."

Chapter 18

"Could you portal us away?" Sorina asked.

I slowly shook my head, trying to be inconspicuous as the dark figure walked menacingly closer. He was still in shadows. "I would just get us caught by another evil wizard, and I don't even think I can portal anyone other then myself. For now, we're doomed. At least this wizard isn't smart enough to kill us right away. He'll probably act like a total idiot for a while then toy with us and threaten us a whole lot. By then, hopefully, Dumbledore will have found a way to get us out of this mess."

Sorina took a deep breath and, as calmly as she could, told me, "There's another way for us to get out. I'm not sure if it'll work but it might be our only hope. We have to…"

She was cut off by a maniacal voice saying, "So, my fish, now I've caught you. Who knows how well I can rule the world now?" he chuckled, evilly. Then he added madly, "Though I know that I soon will." He began to laugh evilly. "MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Sorina gave me a look as if to say 'what an idiot.'

His laughter was cut off abruptly. "No. I am no longer going to be the crazy one. I am going to be the all powerful overlord.

The man stepped into the light and Sorina gasped. I just squeezed my eyes tight. What kind of mess had I gotten us into? Why did I have to be such a "different" witch?

The short, fat wizard with the insane gleam in his eyes grabbed my arm, roughly. I screeched as I was yanked forward onto my knees. The evil wizard's rough hands tied a scratchy rope around my ankles and wrists. What a nightmare! This was like a bad dream.

He proceeded to covering my sight. I saw him raising a blindfold and tried to squirm out of my bindings. I couldn't. I was helpless. This unbearable torture continued as he tied to blindfold in front of my eyes.

"Sorina, help!" I cried. Just as soon, a gag was tied over my mouth. I couldn't make a sound.

I heard her shriek and then heard nothing else. He had done something to my ears to make all sound unhearable.

I felt myself being lifted up, but I was helpless. He had prevented 3 of my 5 senses. I could no longer see, hear, or taste in addition to not being able to talk. I could only feel and smell. Smelling wouldn't be any help, except for the damp smell of the dark room we were in. Not that I could tell it was still dark as I couldn't even see anything anyway.

I was slammed into a hard something and felt my neck buckle against the pressure. My head drooped forward and I no longer had the strength or determination to lift it. I had given up all hope. I knew somehow that the evil wizard was preparing to drain me of my portal powers.

I then realized that it didn't even matter anymore if I portaled. I would have to leave Sorina but I could probably make it back. If I portaled off to another of the evil wizards, I would be safe from having my powers drained. The other evil wizards would have to realize I was there, wouldn't they? Hopefully my bonds wouldn't portal with me although I had a bad feeling they would.

I clenched my jaw and imagined Dumbledore's office. Somehow, I did not feel the atom-tingling sensation of portaling. I tried again, this time imagining my four-poster at Hogwarts. Once again, no success. I probably would've broken into tears if it weren't for my fear that my powers were already gone. What would that feel like? How would I know? Would it kill me to have my powers taken away? I sure hoped not.

Feeling hopeless and useless, I waited for my fate to befall me.

Chapter 19

I was chained to something, my hands at the top, my legs dangling at the bottom. The hard wall was still behind me. I probably looked like a prisoner in a medieval dungeon.

Even though my eyes were closed, I began to feel almost as if my body was…untingling. It was the opposite of when I made a portal! Oh no! My powers. I began to feel weak and faint. I would've cried out for help, but the gag stopped me from doing that.

In my mind, I saw darkness approaching. Death.

Almost fainting with the weakness, I began to feel sore all over. My body felt like it was being pulled apart, atom by atom. I screeched and…wait a second, screeched? As in actually made noise. I moved my jaw around as I realized the gag was gone. I was growing weaker by the second. I knew that unless I was freed from whatever was stealing my powers, I would die very soon.

Something yanked at my wrist and I felt a splintering feeling running down my arm. Tears welled up in my eyes.

Suddenly I was being pulled away from the darkness. My ragged breathing began to sound farther away and in moments, I was unconscious.

Chapter 20

"Ashley? Ashley, hellooooooo?" I heard a voice above me fading in and out of reality. It sounded like Sorina. What was she doing?

Sorina!!!! The dungeon!!!! I sat up quickly and winced at the pain in my arm. I collapsed back down into the cot I was lying on.

"Where…am I?" I stuttered, wincing at the pain.

"Ashley, you're awake!!!" Sorina's voice cried.

I couldn't open my eyes because my arm hurt so much, but I remembered what had happened.

"Are my…powers…?" I asked weakly, unable to speak a full sentence.

"Let her rest! She's my patient! Out, out!" a commanding voice ordered. Madam Pomfrey?

"Wait…," I stuttered. "How did we...escape?" I winced after the word we because Madam Pomfrey was trying to prop me up into a sitting position. She reached for my arm to straighten me.

I gasped, clutching my broken arm. I couldn't breath and all I could see was little flicks of light inside my eyelids.

"Your friend, Miss Aborino, saved you. Now rest!!!" I was told by the strict nurse.

"But how…?" I was cut off by a large bottle of some type being forced into my mouth. I almost spit whatever it was out, it tasted so vile. I managed to chug it down and then felt myself drifting off into dreamland.

The next time I woke up, silvery blue eyes were glinting over me. I blinked a few times to clear my vision and Dumbledore's smile swam into view.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

I just looked up at him, unable to shake my head or speak.

He seemed satisfied, probably since Madam Pomfrey knew that I would be in that condition.

"What happened?" I eventually managed to croak.

Dumbledore, who had been whispering with Madam Pomfrey, turned to me and sat down on the end of my bed. "One of the wizards kidnapped you by hypnotizing Sorina, then you. He then managed to get you to his lair and, so Miss Aborino tells me, he chained you up to some kind of machine where you began to glow and grew paler and paler. Your friend yanked you off the wall and…well, I think it's up to her if she wants to tell you the rest."

"But she couldn't have pulled off those chains…" I started, trailing off.

"Couldn't she?" Dumbledore asked, with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

"I, I don't think so." I stuttered.

He patted my bed and then stood up. About to leave, he turned back as if he had forgotten to tell me something. "By the way, Madam Pomfrey thinks it would be best if you remained in the hospital wing for a few days."

I mentally groaned.

He smiled at me knowingly and then left the room.

Madam Pomfrey bustled over and began giving me all kinds of nasty potions for my arm, head, and my shock.

Speaking of shock, I was in for a lot of it tomorrow when I had a visit from Potter, Emma, and Sorina. What an odd combination. But it was one I'd have to get used to.

Chapter 21

I woke, groggily, the next day, wishing that I could go back to sleep.

Madam Pomfrey immediately bustled over to me. "You have visitors," she reported. "I told them to come back later but they keep insisting. Should I let them in?"

I shrugged, snuggling more into the rumpled blankets of the hospital wing cot.

She spun on her heel and soon returned with Potter, Emma, and Sorina.

'What the heck?' I thought, unsure why there would be such a group.

Emma leaned down on her knee and took my hand. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking me directly in the eyes.

"I guess so," I croaked. My voice still hadn't woken up, even if I had. "What happened?" I asked.

"I know you didn't loose your memory," Sorina pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. "I mean, how did we get out of there? How did we get back to Hogwarts?"

Harry gave Sorina a look that clearly said "It's up to you."

She sighed. "Where do I begin?" she asked desperately, glancing hopefully at Emma and Potter.

Potter put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "From the beginning," he suggested calmly, although it seemed a little too calm for all this mystery and secretively.

Sorina took a deep breath as though she were about to admit something big. "Okay," she gave in, speaking quietly and sadly. "I'll tell. It all started when I was born…"

Chapter 22

"It all started when I was born. I was unusual for a baby. I always seemed to be making animal noises…or doing something to do with animals. My parents considered this normal. My dad was, after all, a zookeeper. But then one day I was in my crib and my mom left the room for a bit. When she came back I was lying on the floor playing happily with my dolls and drooling all over the floor. She laughed nervously and put me back in my crib. This time she made sure the sides were on tight and that the top was too high for me to climb over. She quickly left to tell my dad that we might need a new crib. When she came back…"

"What does this have to do with how we escaped?" I interrupted.

Potter shushed me and motioned for Sorina to keep going.

Sorina sighed and went on. "When my mom came back I was once again on the floor of my room and my crib wasn't opened at all. My mom was suspicious so she put me in my crib. Covered the top, locked the side of the crib that could slide up and down, and pretended to leave. She kept the door open a crack and spied on me. She was freaking when she saw how I got out."

"How?" I asked.

"Please don't interrupt," she begged me. "It's hard enough to start. I was just getting to that anyway. My mom saw a show in me of a snake. I wasn't moving but the snake shadow surrounding me was. It stuck its tail outside of the crib, yanked off the lock and slid down the side of the crib. It then slithered out and changed to a monkey. All through this my normal, human appearance was just following the movements of the animal shadow with out even a trace of expression. The monkey me climbed onto the crib, slid the side back up, and scampered back to the middle of the floor. The shadow disappeared and I was sitting on the floor as a little baby, happily playing with my dolls."

I wanted to speak but decided against it. I could imagine how hard it would be for her to start up again. I still wasn't sure exactly what she was getting at but it seemed to be getting somewhere at least.

"My mom couldn't believe her eyes. So she walked into my room and played with me, ignoring the crib for a bit. Life went on and the animal shadow appeared a few more times. My dad saw it also and in time my parents decided that whatever it was, it couldn't be good. They decided to never tell anyone about the animal shadows and they raised me telling me that it was normal, but bad manners to talk about or do. I stopped doing it as often, but whenever I lost my temper or felt strong emotion, it came back again. It's been a secret from everyone but my parents and I've been hiding it all my life. I became afraid of it when I realized that in books or anywhere else it never happened. My parents told me the truth and I was shocked. I didn't know what was wrong with me! I was scared." She began to cry.

I leaned over and patted her on the back. She glanced up, thankfully at me.

"I was afraid I might hurt someone because I couldn't control it very well. When it happened, I didn't remember anything except being in one place one second and another place, the next. I found a way to find out what animal it was though. I think about my emotions at the time when I forget, and in my dreams I can see what I did. It's horrible!!! I'm such a freak!!! I never had any friends before Hogwarts because I was afraid they might hate me if they found out. I was friends with the animals in my dad's zoo and that was it. When I came to Hogwarts I didn't tell anyone, not even Dumbledore. I'm afraid, Ashley, I'm afraid. I don't know what's wrong with me and I hate it!! I hate myself for it!!! And you were my only friend. I didn't want to tell you because you might hate me too. So go ahead, hate me. There's nothing I can do about it know." Sorina burst into tears.

Emma and Potter exchanged an awkward, worried glance.

I hugged Sorina and asked her, "Why would I hate you? I have weird, unusual powers too. We're not that different Sorina. You've just known about it longer, I didn't know so I wasn't as afraid. But really, we're both afraid. We can be afraid together. I'll always be here for you. I couldn't ever hate you!!!"

Sorina sobbed and threw her arms around me. We hugged tightly. Talk about a sentimental moment. When I looked up, Potter had gone. Emma was sitting on the end of the bed, patting Sorina's shoulder.

"Maybe you should be our student, too. We can help you. Dumbledore would probably be fine with it. You were brave to tell Ashley and him what happened. Feel better, Ashley. And remember, Sorina, we won't ever hate you for being different."

With that Emma left.

Sorina wiped her dripping nose. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"For what," I asked, smiling a bit. "For not telling anyone because you didn't want to e a freak? For saving us both form the evil wizard? For being my friend? For what, Sorina, for what?"

"For crying I guess," she smiled up at me. "And there's more. You've been in the hospital wing for 2 days. I know exactly how we escaped now."

Trying not to seem too pushy and uncaring, I asked curiously, "How?"

"I turned into a bear when I saw that machine taking away your powers. You looked like you were dying."

"I was," I answered, sadly, wondering if my powers were still there? If not, that'd be great!! But if my normal witch powers were gone, would I have to return to being a muggle?

"Well, I got angry. I turned into a bear. The shadow ripped the chains off the wall and pulled you free. Then I turned back into myself and realized that I was holding your arm, and you were practically dead. I sighed and put you on my back like I was giving you a piggy back ride. I then imagined being angry at the evil wizard, who had run away from the bear me by then, and the shadow wolf appeared. I ran far as I could until I found a wizarding village. I'm not sure how far it was. Judging by the distance in the dream I'd say a couple hundred miles. I never could've run that far normally."

I laughed. "That's for sure."

Sorina grinned at me. "So I ran into a house, as a human, where this old wizard was eating breakfast. I told him that I needed to get to Hogsmeade. He made a portkey for me, which was probably illegal but under the circumstances the Ministry would understand, and when I reached Hogsmeade I dragged you up to the school. I sort of collapsed from the effort when I reached the great hall but Rowling happened to be walking by and she brought us up to the hospital wing and got Dumbledore. I told him about the animal shadows and he seemed to be okay with it. Madam Pomfrey gave me some chocolate and fixed me up. Stella and Nicole were curious about what happened but I wouldn't tell them. I came to visit you today and Professor Potter and Emma were here. You know what happened from there."

"Yeah." We sat in silence for a bit.

"What do you mean by shadow? Like a reflection?" I asked, finally.

"Not really. More like a faint but colored illusion of an animal surrounding me. Maybe if Emma and Harry can help me control it then you'll see. That sounded weird, didn't it? Calling a teacher by his first name. He told me to though."

I shrugged off that comment. Maybe I would get to see what Sorina meant by shadow later. Right then all I wanted to do was sleep. Sleep and think.

Chapter 23

Sorina left me room. By the next morning I was desperate for her to come back. Who ever knew that the hospital wing could be so boring!!!!!!! I did have one visitor though, not that she really counted as a visitor. Another girl, a Ravenclaw 2nd year, was also brought into the hospital wing. She was moaning and tossing and turning on her cot. Apparently she had tripped down the stairs and broke her leg. I spoke to her for a bit, but once Madam Pomfrey gave her medicine to heal her leg, she went straight to sleep. The girl, Devlin, and I had talked about school a bit. It really wasn't very fun, but it did use up time. When she was sleeping, I laid there staring at the ceiling, completely bored.

I spent all day in utter boredom, waiting for something to happen, someone to come, or something to do. I wasn't tired so I couldn't sleep. I wished for my gameboy advanced SP which was lying in my muggle bedroom. A small smile then crept onto my face. Wishing for something to do; it was just like the old days when I thought myself only a muggle. It had seemed that even when I had everything in the world, I couldn't find even a single thing to occupy me. Nothing was on TV, I didn't feel like reading or playing a game, my favorite site was down, I didn't feel like playing computer. It was a funny thought. I was now in a place that I had always believed to be magical and constantly exciting, and I was bored and wishing for something from my muggle life. Besides, a muggle electronic wouldn't work at Hogwarts.

I had nothing better to do so I pulled out my notebook and a pencil (pencils are easier to write with then quills). I stared at it for a while, not knowing what was I doing with it anyway. I slowly lowered my pencil onto the paper…and began to write. I wrote about the swing and my first portal. I wrote about meeting the people I had thought only characters in well written stories. I wrote about my friends, classes, abductions, and everything. I wrote about Sorina, and my loneliness. I wrote about everything that had happened since that fateful day about 1 ½ months ago when I was on that swing that went round, and round, and upside down. Everything. I realized so much. I even realized that, in a way, I was having adventures. I was living an interesting life.

"Ashley?" a voice finally asked, just as I had finished writing about Sorina leaving me to think on that shadowy illusion animal that she turned into.

I looked up, drawing myself away from my writing. Away from my mesmerizing journal. "What?" I asked, whoever it was.

A hand drew back the curtains surrounding my hospital cot and peered in. It was Sorina.

"Hi," I said, my voice filled with relief. "Do you know how bored I've been? There is absolutely nothing to do in here except, well, write."

Sorina grinned a little bit, blushing. She gave me a small shrug. "How're you feeling?" she asked.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "I feel fine. I feel PERFECT even. There's nothing wrong with me. She should let me go now."

Sorina giggled a bit. But only a little. Why was she so nervous?

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

She looked up hopelessly at me.

I smiled and shrugged.

She sighed. "Okay, well, I sort of have a problem. Now that Dumbledore and you guys know my secret, my parents don't want anyone else to find out. They're…scared, I guess. So they want me to...," her eyes filled with tears, "…they want me to leave Hogwarts!"

I heard this and everything around me seemed to collapse. I slumped back onto my too white hospital pillows with only one thought in my head; "What a miserable day."

Chapter 24

"Ashley?" Sorina asked me.

I just laid against the pillows, eyes staring at the ceiling, blankly.

"Ashley, I will never let them make me switch schools. Not now. Not now that I finally have a friend. Don't' worry. We'll stay together." Sorina leaned forward and gave me a hug, but her words seemed more to reassure herself then to reassure me.

My mind was racing. If Sorina left, then I'd really be alone. I'd be with Stella and Nicole in the dormitory and while they'd be talking or doing homework, I'd have no one. In the middle of a class when the teacher did something funny, or I wanted to share something with a friend, Sorina wouldn't be there.

I couldn't let her leave.

"We'll figure something out," I said, practically talking to myself, patting my best friend on the back. "There has to be something we can do to keep you here. Right?"

Sorina sighed and wiped her eyes, quickly.

"Ashley?" asked a voice from outside the curtain surrounding my bed. Emma poked her head in.

"Hi," I greeted her, glumly.

"Hello. Ashley, madam Pomfrey says you can probably leave now. The shock of it's gone and you're all healed. And by the way, you have lessons with Harry and me tonight. And…," she stuttered, "Sorina, you're going to come too. Dumbledore wants you to learn control as well."

Sorina shrugged. "Okay." She lifted herself up from kneeling next to my bed and turned to Emma. "What time?"

"About 8 o' clock give or take a few minutes. Harry has something he wanted to do before and he has no clue how long it'll take. I gotta go now. See you guys there." She turned to leave, then paused. "Oh yeah. We're meeting in the same room we always do. I trust you'll show Sorina where it is, Ashley."

I nodded, then remembered something potter had said a month or go back. "Why do we always use that room? Professor Potter said there was something special about it but he never said what."

"Oh that? There's just something in that room that prevents people from dying from out of control magic. Nothing other then that. The room just keeps you from killing yourself or us." Emma told me matter of factly.

At that moment when she said that I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. To keep me from killing myself or others? That was horrible!!!! It was a good idea for experimenting, but was I really that dangerous to others? I had only wanted to be normal!!!

"Well, seeya," said Emma, leaving. She hadn't noticed the miserable look on my face. To her it must not have seemed that bad. I wondered then how she had been trained to use her own powers. Becoming invisible seemed much simpler then portals and projecting yourself who knows where but now in a solid form. I didn't know if she had any other powers but still…

I grumbled as I got out of the hospital cot. My legs were cramped from so much lying down. I did a few stretched to loosen up and then Sorina and I walked back up to the common room. Finally, I could be free of the awful hospital wing.

"Don't look so sad," Sorina told me. "Once you've hit rock bottom there's nowhere to go but up. Just think bird."

I smiled. "Animals," I grinned, muffling my laughter.

Sorina gave me a "whatever sort of look". Then together we laughed and climbed to our tower to relax until 8:00 that evening.

Chapter 25

"Hey Ashley and Sorina," called Stella as we reached Gryffindor tower. She was sitting in a large, red chair facing the window. On her lap was a pair of binocular like objects that she had obviously been using. The carrying strap was still wrapped around her hand. Stella motioned for us to come over, and then turned intently back to the window. She dreamily let out a sigh, her thin, wispy hair settling onto her shoulder as if it were relaxing. "Isn't he adorable?" she asked us as we came over.

"Who?" asked Sorina, gently moving a pile of books off a nearby chair, and dragging it over.

"Toni Berrnstein. He's the Gryffindor keeper," she replied, her eyes on a single Quidditch player on the field, and her face settling into an expression of pure happiness, and love.

'God!' I thought. 'When Stella gets a crush, she really goes overboard.'

I glanced at Sorina, and grinned sneakily. Sorina was biting her lip, to keep herself from snickering at Stella's foolishness. Sorina saw me watching her and smirked at me. Then she rolled her eyes.

"Bye," I cried quickly, running up the stairs to our dormitory. Once there I collapsed onto my four-poster and laughed. Sorina soon joined me in cracking up.

"She was so googly eyes. I bet she just likes him because he plays quidditch. He has absolutely no brains at all, only looks," she chortled.

"She probably couldn't play it for her life," I joked. Then I stopped. "Hey Sorina, do you know anyone here with a broom?" I asked her.

She gave me a strange look. "Yeah. Why?"

"Well, you see, I've never played quidditch before….and it looks like fun. I was sort of wondering…," I blushed, feeling stupid at my seemingly random request.

Sorina shrugged. "No problem. I know a second year Ravenclaw whose brother owns a comet260. For your first time on a broom it should be pretty good. Y'don't wanna start out too big, I always say."

"Since when have you said that?" I asked, exaggerating rolling my eyes.

Sorina put her arm over my shoulder. "Since just a few seconds ago, but whatever."

I laughed, and we exited the room to go find a broom for me to ride.

Chapter 26

"Sorina, are you sure I can do this?" I asked, unsure. We were out on the quidditch pitch and I had successfully sat on the broom. Unfortunately, that was about all I had done.

"Relax," she laughed. "You'll be fine. And if not...well, the quiddithc pitch is soft." She grinned at me. I didn't find it funny.

I took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing." I said. "Up." I lifted the front of the broom and it sped up into the air. The breezes brushing against my face made me feel crisp and clean. I smiled as I closed my eyes. It didn't feel like I was flying. It felt like I was simply sitting on air. I returned my mind to reality and turned the broom slightly to the right. The sleekness of the broom, and the magic on it perhaps, made the turn take almost no effort from me. I was surprised at how easy this seemed.

"Trying coming back down a bit!" shouted Sorina.

I took another breath and shot towards the ground. Halfway down the broom started to shake a bit. 'What if it crashes?' I thought, suddenly struck by fear. 'The only other person out here is Sorina and she doesn't know much magic either.'

The broom rocketed off making crazy, twitching movements as if trying to throw me off.

Sorina was on the ground yelling for me to do something. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear what the something was so I had no clue what to do. I tried to push the broom's front towards the ground, thinking 'I can do this. I can do this. Don't get scared, Ashley, you can do this.'

I managed to make my shaky way to the ground. As soon as my toes touched the grass I hopped off, breathing harshly and shaking my head.

"Never again," I said, out of breath. "Never ever _ever _again."

Sorina winced. "You lost control. It happens when people try to fly for the first time. They get scared that they won't do it right and then the broom will get a mind of it's own."

I sat down on a bench and took a breather. "Professor Potter didn't have that problem the first time he flew."

Sorina rolled her eyes. "From what I've heard, Professor Potter had his mind on other things when he first rode a broomstick. Mind you, he still is an amazing flyer!!! He refs the quidditch games. A bit unorthodox, but with him here Dumbledore doesn't need to pay for another person to ref."

"That's right. Malfoy had stolen Neville's remembrall," I said, laughing. "That was his first time."

Sorina gave me a weird look. "What?"

"Oh, never mind," I said. "Professor Rowling's book."

"Oh, right," she replied, as if that explained everything.

I glanced at my watch. It was only 15 minutes after we had started. "Well, should I try again?" I asked her. "Now that I know not to freak out."

She shrugged. "It's up to you. Practice makes perfect. Once you're totally used to it you'll be able to have great control and speed. So if you ever wanna get better…"

I got the message. "If I don't wanna be a total coward when it comes to flying, you mean. I guess I'll try. If I get hurt…then what's it gonna matter, right? I may as well."

Gripping the broomstick tightly in my hands, I rose into the air. I was shaky after what had just happened, but at least I knew what to do. 'This might take a while,' I thought.

An hour or so later I was still practicing.

"Hey, Ashley. What d'you say we give it a rest. It's almost time for our special magic lesson."

I zoomed down and gracefully dismounted next to her.

As we walked into the castle, we were both wondering what would happen in the lesson ahead of us.

"Hey, Ashley. Hi, Sorina." Emma greeted us.

Harry just gave us each a stern nod. "Sit," he directed, pointing at two mats placed on the ground.

As we each sat, he explained, "Normal magic is a lot easier to control. We're going to try a method that's a bit…medieval," he began, struggling to find the right words. "A long time ago wizards and witches used to meditate to control their powers and broaden their skills. Now we use more modern methods, but these don't seem to work for you too. I want you each to close your eyes. Now."

Sorina and I shut our eyes tightly as Professor Potter described what we should be doing during meditation. "Relax your whole body. Concentrate on a single spot on your forehead. Put all your energy in that one spot. Take a deep breath in. As you breath in imagine power coming in through your feet to envelope your whole body. It should be as if a wave from the ocean in coming up to the shore, beating on the sand. Hold the breath for about a second and then breath deeply out. The old, dull, used energy should come out with your breath like a wave going back into the ocean. It'll take a while, but once you get used to it, it'll come naturally.

"Like quidditch," I grinned.

"Just like quidditch," confirmed Professor Potter.

After some thourough preperatiosn so our magic wouldn't cause chaos throughout the school, we began the meditation.

The room was silent, except for the breaths of the four of us, careful and slow. Out breaths locked into place, our hearts beating at corresponding times. We breathed out and in, out and in. Nobody faltered or skipped a breath. It was the beat of waves beating against the shore, but to perfection. In, and out. In, and out.

Suddenly, my eyes blurred, even through the darkness of my closed eyes, I saw pictures and place with people far, far away. They grew blurry and I felt a familiar sensation as I slid in between two places at once. Not again! If I left now then Sorina wouldn't have this lesson to be able to control her magic. 'I don't want her to leave Hogwarts!!!!!' was My last panicked though before the familiar feeling completely returned.

­Chapter 27

I angrily stood up, shaking. "I'm tired of getting kidnapped! Leave me alone for once!!!" I shouted to no-one in particular. I hated how I kept getting kidnapped. It was so stupid.

"I can't believe this…"I started, tailing off. As I stood and looked around I realized I was still in the room!!!! My body and the bodies of Sorina, Emma, and Professor Potter sat on the floor breathing in tune to each others. "Wow" I mouthed.

I thought back to the time when I had overheard Potter, Rowling, and Dumbledore discussing how dangerous I was and about how they needed to know the rest of the prophecy. I also thought back to the time right before that when I had first found myself sitting on- no, in- my bed. Stella's hand had passed right through mine. This was part of my other powers, but definitely not as destructive.

I didn't want to disrupt anyone so I floated back into my own body. As I was passing from a spirit to a solid human, I viewed saw a few wondrous things that I won't ever forget.

I saw Sorina flashing from human to the shadow of a calm deer, relaxed and gentle. Her spirit was in the deer, her body void of any thoughts. So this was what it looked like when her special powers took over. Her body was visible, but a wispy smoke with the color and shape of a deer surrounded her body. It was an amazing sight, to see Sorina and her essence sitting as one, but in two forms when you were seeing it. I only hoped her parents wouldn't force her to switch schools.

As I passed into my body I saw Emma flashing from visible to invisible. I had almost forgotten that she could do that. She had amazing control of a power that seemed so unusual. I wondered how she had been able to master it. Maybe she hadn't completely, mastered her powers. Maybe she had gotten into trouble being invisible, and that was why Professor Potter had to have gone rescue her the other night when Sorina and I were kidnapped. All three of us- Sorina, Emma, and I- were on the same boat. We were one of the few people in the world who could do these unusal things without the help of apparition or an invisibility cloak. But hadn't Dumbledore said in the fifth Harry Potter book that Harry had a special power too. The power to love?

I saw one last thing as I switched from spirit to the real me. In Professor Potter I saw deep worry. Worry about his past, when he had been forced to fight off Voldemort ( I didn't yet know how he had done this as I had only read up to the fifth book), and worry about other people. I saw his concern for Emma, Sorina, and me. How he had rescued Emma from being stuck as invisible. How he understood Sorina, when she was misunderstood by others, like her parents, when they found out how different she was. I saw his love for his dead parents and godfather. Under all this love and these feelings that I could just feel from looking at him in that moment of understanding, I saw his worry for me.

I had heard him warn Dumbledore how dangerous I was. I had heard him say how I needed to learn control as quickly as I could. But there was no way I could've understood what he really knew. He was the only one who knew what my powers could really do, the only one who could really help me. I finally knew.

He could tell that all this being kidnapped and then portaling myself away would lead to disaster, I would either use up my magic, and therefore my life, in a vain effort to escape someday, or my powers would be stolen by the three evil wizards, and the world would fall into chaos and fear as it had when Voldemort had reigned. He didn't know how the evil would steal my magic, but he knew a bit more of the prophecy then her let on. As his clam face hid his true fears, I heard in his deep, knowing voice that which had changed my life.

"The wand of Merlin, in the right hands,

held by one of an old and new hour

Her power dark, yet bright, at once,

Driven off in the struggle for power"

There was a pause, where I guessed he didn't know a part.

"The One with the laugh,

cruel and vile, sanity lost

he knows her weakness

and how she can be crossed.

The One who Does nothing,

Waiting and plotting

His servants do his work

And be his unlimited strength

The One whose father fell

Lonely and evil

The worst of the three

And yet with the least upheaval

He's the one

who could truly kill her

For if he were to rule

It shall be as if the world never were"

There was another long pause

"And yet, have strength,

for all hope is not yet lost

This one girl, who seems of no importance

Holds the world in her hands

Of her be wary,

She will know and have the will

She…"

The rest of the words in that verse were a low mutter that I could absolutely not hear.

"So wait for when all seems lost to some,

For the worlds most saddening hour

And leaves a world, One who can save us all

or grant evil horrible power."

I was in shock when I heard the prophecy. Had Harry told Dumbledore all this? How did he know it all, and why didn't he tell me. This made it sound as if I would give evil people all my powers and then die. Was this why Harry wanted Dumbledore to be careful of me? So that I wouldn't do something hideously evil? I seemed so confused. There was so much to think about.

Even though Harry Potter, the boy who lived, wanted to make sure I didn't ruin the world, I knew that he was truly worried for me. He wanted me to have a chance to make the prophecy happen differently. Dumbledore had told him it was possible to change the results of a prophecy, so could I? Would I have the courage? Would I have the brains? Would I have the right powers and control?

Chapter 28

I stared in shock as I thought back to what I had just seen. In my real body, my eyes snapped open. No one else seemed to notice that I had just seen some of their most inner feelings and magical powers. I wondered what they would see if they could have seen me the way I had seen them. How much could I really do? I could make portals, help someone not be stuck in animagus form, and I could see amazing things. I could float outside of my body and I could probably do so much more. If only I knew how much I could do.

My breath grew ragged and Harry, the person that as a muggle I would have died to meet, opened one eye and gave me a stern look. I shook my head. I didn't want to do anymore. What would he say if he knew what I had just found out. I shakily stood up, trying to breathe and look casual. Harry broke the others from their meditations by shaking them gently until they opened their eyes.

For some reason, I didn't want to call him Professor Potter any more. I had seen who he really was. A child at heart, someone full of love and compassion. I felt better calling him by the name that I had grown up calling him, from when I was in second grade, to when I was in fifth grade. Harry. He had been my hero. He was my story book idol. I wanted to be just like him, having adventures and magic. But now that I actually knew him, he was different. I knew that he was a real person with faults and weaknesses. It was scary, but it was somewhat calming. I just didn't want to call him 'Professor Potter' anymore. Harry would do just fine.

Sorina stretched as she stood up. "I think I almost fell asleep," she joked. She yawned which made her chuckle.

"Good job. That's how it's supposed to feel when you start," said Harry. "Now, I want both of you to practice for next Friday. Imagine pulling all your energy into one tiny ball inside of you. It'll help you learn control."

Sorina walked out the door. Emma waved and followed her.

I was about to leave, when Harry put his hand on my shoulder. "Ashley, I need to know before you leave. Why did you want to stop?"

I just shook my head an pulled away. "It's just…I don't know. I can't really say…" I muttered, trying to avoid the question. I didn't want him knowing what had really happened.

He sighed and stared off into space. "That's okay, Ashley. I just wish you'd learn to trust me."

With that last sentence lying heavy in the air, he left.

"But I do trust you," I whispered. "How could I not when it's someone like you." But by then he was already gone.

Chapter 29

I began the long walk up to the Gryffindor tower when I bumped into Flora Marigold.

She smirked. "How's it going…owl thief?"

I winced. That was so long ago. Since then we had ignored each other in classes we had together.

"I didn't steal your owl. A thestral was attacking it." I tried to explain.

"Sure. And a freak like you would actually go outside in the middle of the night to save somebody else's owl just because they felt like it. Yeah right. You stole her. She would have been in the Owlery when I needed her if you hadn't taken her. Then you made me have to search the whole school for you, you rotten sneak. I bet you couldn't even be trusted to hold someone's pencil for a second without running off with it." Her words were sharp and angry. It had been such a little thing and she had held such a long grudge. This must've been normal Slytherin behavior considering what I knew from the Harry Potter books.

I just ignored her and tried to walk around. She blocked my way. "You're so stupid. Just like a Gryffindor to be so stupid and conceited. You with your 'special powers'" She spat the words out like a curse. "You probably think you're so great just because you can do something no one else can. Well, guess what. You're a freak!!! Nobody likes you. You're just a good-for-nothing nobody."

Her words stung. She walked arrogantly away, leaving me standing there with my mouth open, still trying to think of a comeback

Flora didn't seem to be a big part in my life, but just because she hated me her words seemed to have such a big impact. She was to me like Draco was to Harry, but she wasn't quite as evil…I hoped. She made me see how I was really an out-of-place, practically muggle girl at this big wizardry school.

Despite all this, I continued to the Gryffindor tower to meet Ashley.

"You really should learn to trust him," she told me when I recalled what he had said in the room. I mentioned nothing about my seeing the deepest qualities of her, Emma, and Harry. "He's trying to help us, but you seem to be pulling away and not even trying sometimes. You have to try though," she begged. "The next time you're kidnapped could be the final showdown, the big ka-boom. You don't know, but what if you don't make it. What if one of them is really able to get your powers? Sometimes you act like this is all a game and you can stop playing whenever you feel like it, but if the bad guys win then you'll probably die and the world will be in their control. Please, Ashley. You're my best friend." Her eyes started to tear, she rubbed it away as she leaned forward, putting her head into her hands. "I don't want you to die."

I turned away from her and closed the curtains of my four-poster. 'I was trying,' I thought silently to myself as I cried in my bed. 'Why doesn't anyone understand that? I'm not going to die. I'm too strong for that to happen.'

**Chapter 30**

The next day was torture. I don't know why. It just happened that way. My mind drifted in class. I dropped a heavy water pail on Professor Sprout's foot, causing her to take points away from Gryffindor. In Potions, I skipped three major ingredients and my potion ended up a bright red color, instead of a slimy, olive green. All in all, it was torturous. Luckily, I didn't have Defense Against the Dark Arts. If I had, I seriously would've cracked.

"Ashley, are you okay?" asked Stella, a couple of times. I nodded her off, not even noticing when she rolled her eyes at Nicole.

"I have a weird feeling about today," Sorina whispered to me during Defense Against the Dark Arts. "For some reason, I think we should tell Professor Potter."

I shook my head. "Don't bother him. It's probably nothing. He had enough worry.

"Ashley," she sat down next to me, "You've been so dreary lately. I want to know what's going on. I'm your best friend and I swear, you can tell me anything."

"Well, nothing's wrong," I snapped at her.

She gave me a sympathetic look. "You're feeling it too. Something big is happening."

I ignored her, but the thought that she was right kept nagging at me all day long.

On our way to Herbology, we noticed the many clouds in the sky. They were such a dark shade of gray that they were almost black. Our classmates whispered about it as the dark storm clouds swirled overhead, forming and staying right above Hogwarts. Nicole shrieked in fright when lightning stuck not even a mile away from us.

"Run, back to the school!" ordered Professor Sprout, trying to yell about the howling wind and the not-so-distant thunder rumbling above us. We raced back to the school just as it started to pour. The rain relentlessly beat down upon the school, causing concern among the students and staff.

"It's just not natural for this time in the year," I heard McGonagall muttering to Sinistra.

Liatrix was frowning as she climbed out of the dungeons. "It's flooding down there!" I heard her screeching at Filch.

Something was wrong about this storm, and Sorina agreed with me.

"The feeling," she reminded me.

It bugged me to admit she was right, but there was no hiding from that truth now. We had to tell Harry that we sensed something.

In his office, he looked a bit unnerved by the storm too, and Emma soon joined us.

"This is so weird!" Emma explained. "I've felt this strange urge all day, like I've forgotten about something, but it's still nagging at me in the back of my mind."

Harry nodded. "This is no normal storm. It's dark magic. We can sense it so well because our extra powers make us extra aware of the surroundings."

"But others can sense it too," exclaimed Sorina.

"Exactly. That's why this is abnormally dark magic. More than even Voldemort could control, which makes me think that isn't just one wizard. It seems more like the workings of…" he gave me a look, "three."

I took a deep breath. "So, it's coming? The big showdown?"

He nodded. Emma looked worried for me. Sorina looked like she was about to cry. I remembered what she had said. "The next time you're kidnapped could be the final showdown, the big ka-boom. You don't know, but what if you don't make it. What if one of them is really able to get your powers? Sometimes you act like this is all a game and you can stop playing whenever you feel like it, but if the bad guys win then you'll probably die and the world will be in their control. Please, Ashley. You're my best friend. I don't want you to die."

I looked away. What was I going to do? I was going to die, probably. And there was no escape.

I felt my essence flutter and I looked up at them. "It's happening," I said calmly. They all hugged me and, together this time, we disappeared from Hogwarts.

**Chapter 31**

I could hardly believe this was real- how close I was to the end of this fantasy in my mind. But Emma, Sorina, and Harry were with me. We would go through this "end of the world" situation together.

We opened our eyes to find ourselves in a room, made of hard, light blue walls that seemed to be a stone of some type. The colors swirled together and had an alien feel about it.

"Opal," said Harry, lightly touching the wall next to me. He suddenly banged his fist against the wall. " The only thing that can hold us in here. The magical properties of Opal can cancel out magic, or hold great magic. In this case, it must be here to keep us in. Or at least, keep Ashley in." He turned to the three of us. "I don't think Malfoy realized all four of us would come."

"What makes you think it's Malfoy?" snapped Emma, searching for a line in the wall that signified a door. Without one, we were completely locked in. She knocked on a section of wall that looked the same as the rest. "I think it's hollow, she explained, laying herear to the wall.

The wall suddenly fell away, causing Emma to fall to her knees. She saw a black boot and followed it up to see the smirking face of Draco Malfoy. "You were right," he said in a oily voice, and kicked her in the face.

Emma fell back, clutching her nose. Sorina helped her sit up, looking sincerely scared.

"So, Potter. How's your fiancé? The little Weasley brat?" Malfoy asked, turning to Harry, his eyes filled with hatred.

Harry clenched his teeth. "Ginny's fine. Not that you would care, Malfoy!"

Draco chucked evilly. "But why wouldn't I care? I was at Hogwarts with you, if you haven't forgotten, and I remember Weasley- her and the bat boogey hex she put on me in our fifth year."

"You never were good at defensive spells," retorted Harry.

Draco shrugged. "At least I wasn't as hated by the school as you were in our second and fourth years. The Dark Lord's curse made your life miserable Potter, didn't it?" At this comment, Harry's face darkened and he looked away. "And to think I was jealous of all your attention," sneered Malfoy. He pulled out his wand and shouted, "Expelliarmous!"

I tried to get a better grip on my wand a second too late. All of our wands flew out of our hands and into Malfoys. He tucked them away in his robes.

"Now, you four may be wondering what you're doing here?" He motioned to somebody behind him.

My jaw fell as two men came up behind him. I recognized one of them at once. The other seemed strangely familiar. They were the other two from the prophecy.

The first one was stout, and unhuman looking. He had an insane greedy gleam in his glassy black eyes, his dark navy robes too long for him, and dragging on the ground. I remembered what I'd heard of his part of the prophecy:

"The One with the laugh,

cruel and vile, sanity lost

he knows her weakness

and how she can be crossed."

He knew how to magnetize me and get rid of me. He must've told Malfoy, who stood beside him, tall and proud of the shock on our faces.

The other one was the one who had his minions summon me and put me in a sack. I rubbed my arm, as if the memory of the kick still hurt me. He hadn't directly harmed me, but even with his lean body, and uncaring expression, he seemed as malicious and threatening as the other one.

"Couldn't you just have taken care of her yourself? I was doing something." He complained in a hushed voice to Malfoy, who slapped him in reply.

"No, you fool. I needed you here. This was the only way to fufill the dark side of the prophecy."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't' believe there really is a prophecy, but she does have power. She escaped from my minions despite the strength of the magic I had stolen from that old witch in Kettlesbrook. That spell should've kept her. With her strength, I could… I mean, we could, of course," he corrected himself hastily as Malfoy shot him a detesting look, "rule the world."

His greedy, yet lazy personality brought his part of the prophecy to mind:

"The One who Does nothing,

Waiting and plotting

His servants do his work

And be his unlimited strength"

So he could steal magic from other people, or at least spells. That would explain the unlimited strength part. He must have teamed up with the crazy one just before the crazy one captured me a second time. How else could the "One with the Laugh" have the magic-stealing technology that had almost killed me?

Third, there was Malfoy. The worst of the worst. The most powerful of all evil.

"The One whose father fell

Lonely and evil

The worst of the three

And yet with the least upheaval

He's the one

who could truly kill her

For if he were to rule

It shall be as if the world never were."

Harry and Emma had told me how Lucius Malfoy, his father, had been one of the highest Death-Eaters- right in Voldemort's inner circle. Malfoy would have become a Death-Eater himself, but Voldemort was defeated by Harry in his last year. His father was killed, and his mother put in prison. His mother wasn't as evil as most Death-Eaters. She disliked muggles, but she at least had a sense of love. She tried to pass it on to her son, before she was imprisoned, but he took after his father too much and paid her no attention.

Malfoy himself did not look so evil. In fact, if it weren't for all the horrible things he had done, he would've looked handsome. His shining blond hair caressed his face, making his unique features stand out. How could the person who was plotting to kill me, and take over the world with the two other evil wizards at his side, be so damn good-looking?

"Malfoy, I know you don't what to let her go," Harry began, "but you don't have to do this. Remember when I first met you in Madame Malkins? You assumed the best and talked to me. True, it wasn't the best conversation, but you weren't so evil. You don't have to do this!"

Malfoy winced at this harmless memory of his past. "I don't have to, but I will. I have gone through far too much trouble to bring you and the girl here. The other two will only add to my power. I shall rule in place of the Dark Lord, for I have succeeded much farther then he ever has." He finished, looking triumphant.

Harry sadly looked at him. "If you feel you have to."

Draco's triumphant pose fell. It didn't seem as if he expected Harry to give in so easily.

He opened his mouth to retort, but then shut it as if he had nothing else to say. Turning on his heel, he left the room with his cape billowing behind him. "I will be back later to collect my rightful magic," he called over his shoulder.

The other two evil wizards followed him, the opal door closing solidly behind.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I burst into tears, hugging Sorina and Emma. "I don't wanna die," I sobbed. "I wanna go back to school, back to being a muggle. I don't wanna live this life anymore."

**Chapter 32**

That night when I was sleeping I had the strangest dreams. A beautiful lady in a white dress rode on a thestral, which soared in the sky. Suddenly a mass of darkness covered the scene. I fought to see around it but it was too big. Instead, I threw my mind forcefully at it. It tried to block me, but eventually it balked under the pressure and I flew through it The lady on the thestral was shining, flying strongly. She could beat the world. She had power and friends. She… was me.

I woke with a start, taking a few seconds to reorient myself in the entirely light blue room.

I pushed Sorina's shoulder. "Wake up!" I cried. "Sorina, Emma, Harry, wake up!"

Sorina groaned and rolled over. "Go back to sleep, Ashley. There's no classes today!"

"There won't be anymore classes if you don't get your stupid butt off the floor of this misery trap!" I screamed angrily.

"Ashley, calm down. Don't lose your temper. We'll find a way out of this," yawned Emma.

Harry seemed to need a minute to remember what was going on. Suddenly he sat up.

"We need a plan! Never go anywhere without a full explanation of whats going on and a plan. I learned that in my fifth year from experience. It wasn't good." He shook his head sadly. "I lost my godfather that day."

I nodded sympathetically. "Sirius Black. I know. I'm sorry."

Harry looked at me strangely. "How did you know that?"

"The books about you that Professor Rowling wrote," I pointed out.

He groaned. "Right. I told her not to show Malfoy in that way, but she wouldn't listen. She said the muggles needed to know what was going on, even if they just thought it was a story."

"Not the best idea," shrugged Emma. "But it seemed good at the time. I-"

"Not now!" I snapped. "We need a plan. We can't get off topic. We need to concentrate. So what can we do to get ourselves out of this?"

"Well, let's see. We have a girl who can make portals and send her consciousness elsewhere, a girl who can make herself invisible, a guy who has the power of 'love,'" Sorina made a face as she counted each person off on her fingers, "and a freak like me who changes into animals by accident. We're doomed."

"Hey, I can do more than that!" said Harry, irritably. "Love is what gave me my powers and saved me from Voldemort, Quirell, and who knows what else. I can do occlumency, am excellent at wandless magic, especially defense magic, and know how to get on Malfoy's nerves." He grinned evilly. "It's fun to get on his nerves. I've been doing it half my life."

"None of us are useless," shrugged Emma. "We just need to figure out how to work it out."

"Okay, here's my plan," I said, slyly. My companions leaned in as I explained as quickly as I could.

We were all sitting around the room waiting for Malfoy to come again. I was thinking back to the memories of my friends and family from my muggle life. Sorina was combing her fingers through her hair, aggravated at how it would not lay flat. Emma was tucking the tongue of her sneakers (or trainers in England) in since she no longer had her shoelaces. Harry was apparently sleeping again.

I sighed, only to hear the door bang open behind me. I slowly turned, making sure that our plan was beginning out of the corner of my eye.

"Food," grunted the guard. He placed it on the floor and turned to leave. Another guard was standing behind him just in case we decided to attack either of them. I smiled sneakily, looking down so that they wouldn't see.

"Hey," said the second guard, looking confused, "weren't there four of them before?"

The first one frowned. "I think there- ARGH!!!!" He clutched at his throat as a pair of invisible hands held a shoelace tightly around his throat. The second guard backed away and began to reach for a gun strapped onto his belt, his eyes wide.

Suddenly Harry's eyes shot open and he threw himself at the second guard. Once into the small corridor that had led to our prison, wrestling with the guard, he was able to do wandless magic and freeze the guards. Now just Sorina's part and I could get us out of here.

"Sorina!" I shouted. "Hurry up! Malfoy'll be down here any second!!!"

She bit her lip. "I can't! I can't change without any pressure!"

"This isn't enough pressure for you? Sorina, WE'RE GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR BUTT INTO A HORSE SHAPE NOW!!!!"

Apparently, it worked. A few seconds later the shadow of a rhino was surrounding Sorina's floating, yet unmoving body.

I shrugged. "Rhino. That works too. Hop on!" I jumped onto the rhinos back and gave Emma a hand up. Harry jumped on right behind us.

"Never though I'd have the chance to ride a rhino!" I laughed to Emma as Sorina crashed through the underground hallways, ruining everything in sight.

She shivered. "I didn't even know you can! I still don't think you can! This is so wrong!"

"Ashley! The portal!" shouted Harry as a reminder.

I shut my eyes tightly and imagined all four of us in my common room at Hogwarts. Nothing happened.

I shook my head. "No good! We need to be farther away! There's probably some kind of spell on the dungeons! That must be why the guards had guns, not wands!"

"Damn!" cursed Harry. "Okay, we need to get farther away. Outside or something. Can you do that, Sorina?"

The rhino just continued it mad rampage.

"What other choice is there?" I shrugged. "As soon as we're out I'll make a portal!"

I felt a tingling on the back of my neck. I turned around only to see the empty, torn apart hallway, I had the strangest notion that someone was watching us. I looked around, but saw nowhere for anyone to hide that wasn't just ruined by Sorina as a rhino a few seconds ago.

Magic! I swore and nudged Harry. "We're being watched," I informed him.

"Go!" he shouted at Sorina. The rhino sped up. I saw a light around a corner. "Turn, turn, turn!!!" all the humans in our little group shouted. Sorina spun to run towards the door, almost throwing us off her back.

As we got closer, I could see trees outside the doorway. We just had to go up some small steps and we'd be free to escape!

We were seconds away from the door. "C'mon, Sorina!" I whispered.

Suddenly the doors swung shut. Sorina rammed into them, but they were solid. We all were tossed off her back and thrown into the wall. With a grunt, Sorina changed back into her human self. She kneeled over and clutched her nose. She looked at me apologetically and shrugged, "oww!"

I would have laughed if Malfoy and the other evil wizards weren't standing right in front of me. Two people grabbed me from behind. I struggled, but they threw me down to the floor and held me down. One had my feet; the other, my hands. I couldn't move.

"What should we do with her, boss?" asked one of the men. I recognized his voice. He was one of the people who had kidnapped me before and thrown me in a sack to bring to his master.

I turned my head, growling. "You creep!" I shouted. "You total creep! All of you are! You're freaks, trying to kill me for some stupid magic! Well guess what, I don't want it! I just wanna be normal!"

"Good," said Malfoy smoothly. "Then just relax and this will be painless and easy."

I snorted. "Yeah, sure. Killing me with your stupid machine is painless and easy. Maybe for you, but I don't wanna die just yet! I haven't even kissed a boy yet! For good sakes, I haven't even finished my first year at Hogwarts!"

"You never will," snickered the evil wizard, the one who never did anything himself.

"Move her to the machine!" ordered Malfoy. "And dispose of the others."

They picked me up, still holding me so I couldn't struggle. My friends were lying motionless on the ground. Somebody had knocked them out. I saw some men go to pick up Sorina, Emma, and Harry. Malfoy smacked the one who was about to lift Harry.

"Not him!" sneered Malfoy. "I want to deal with Harry personally. He cost me all those years of humiliation when we were in school together. I want to humiliate him like he did to me. Of course, I'll use a bit more torture then he would ever be brave enough to use."

He began to laugh. It was cold and heartless, sending shivers down my spine. Exactly how you imagine those cheesy moments in books and movies where the character is helpless and the bad guy is about to win. But then someone comes and rescues the good guys, preferably the main characters boyfriend or girlfriend.

'I don't have a boyfriend! There's no one left who could rescue me!' I thought panicked. With deep breaths I told myself, 'Just think of the Harry Potter books. That's always calmed you down before. Harry always wins.'

'But that isn't true,' taunted a nagging voice in the back of my mind. 'He lost when Cedric, and Sirus died. He lost when Voldemort came back into power. He lost his family. Even if this was similar to the Harry Potter books, which give you so much comfort, you could be the person close to Harry who dies. And Harry could possibly die. This could be it for you, Ashley.'

Despair came upon me. I couldn't stand it anymore. I gave up the struggle. It was hopeless. Malfoy had won. The prophecy's bad side would have victory. I would give my powers to the bad side, they would take over the world, and it would be awful. People would die, terror and horror would spread across the globe. They had won. I had lost. Good bye, life.

**Chapter 33**

I was thrown onto the machine, hanging against the wall, with the strange metal surface behind me. Once again my wrists were chained to the wall, and my ankles also to the wall, but just barely on the floor. It was a tight position, painful as well as frightening, but I had given up so that it no longer mattered much to me.

'They're all gone.' I thought to myself. 'My friends are being killed, while I'm hanging here letting destiny do its work. The prophecy will be done- unfortunately, it turned out the bad way.'

Malfoy laughed horribly at me. The draining began. Like before, I felt myself growing weaker. Like before, I felt my magic leaving me. Like before…I was dying!

I had given up struggling so I lay there as I died. My head hung, tears in my eyes. 'My parents! They'll never know what happened to me! I'm gonna miss them. And I hope the school finds out what happened to us all. And my friends- if Malfoy kills them I'll come back and haunt him for eternity! I won't leave him alone until he's damned to Hell for doing this!'

My mind blurred. I didn't have strength left to think. So this is what it was like to die. The world dissolved around me. Nothing else mattered but the pain. That too slowly eased away and my soul left my body.

I was no longer.

I was dead.

I just have to interrupt myself. You may be thinking right now "Oh, she's dead. That's great. So how the hell is she writing this?" Well, you have to remember one very important thing. This was the magic world- not the muggle one. It also helps to remember that I was prophesized about.

Now, I bet you really want to know what happens next. Did I really die? Well, the answer to that is yes. I died. End of my life.

Big deal.

Floating in nothingness, I looked around. Was this Heaven? Was this the afterlife? wAs this reincarnation? What the Hell was this?

"This is death, my dear," chimed a voice that sounded like a thousand ringing bells. "You have died. The Evil Ones have your magic. Lucky for you, however, this is not the end."

"What???!!! Who are you?!!" I wanted to shout. To my dismay I found that I didn't have a mouth to shout with. Nor, for that matter, did I have a body either. I was nothing in nothing. I had no body or surroundings. I was just a soul.

"Follow me, my child. There is more to this tale," said the voice, this time sounding more solid to my ears.

My ears?! I thought I didn't have ears!! To my relief, I opened my eyes and found myself in the real world again. It was solid, and true. It was the dungeon. Right in front of me was the metal machine that had stolen my life. Worst of all, to my shock, was me lying attached to it, seemingly dead.

"But how is that possible if I'm right here? I…" I asked, looking up to find the most beautiful lady I had ever seen. She was almost glowing she was so glamorous. I remembered reading about glamours and faeries and figured that a lady this wondrous couldn't be human.

I reached forward to touch my cheek and immediately pulled my hand back. My other body was cold- dead, even.

"Follow me, my child," she smiled down at me. I followed her curiously as she navigated through the maze of hallways in this underground death-trap. She opened a door to a room. "Peek in, but do not be scared. There are things we can do to save them."

When I looked in, I found Sorina and Emma lying out cold on the floor. The two evil wizards who weren't Malfoy were arguing.

"Crucio's the best way to solve anything. They suffer and die, and it takes effort from yourself," I managed to hear one say, aggravated.

"No, you dolt! They need to suffer long and still care. Crucio makes people not want to live anymore!"

I shivered. "That's awful!"

The lady nodded. "But you can free them. You have been given another life. Not your old life, but a new one. You can move them, but, for the moment, you cannot be seen. The Evil Ones will not even see your friends' bodies as you move them. I shall make sure of it."

I took a deep breath and tiptoed into the room. The wizards continued to argue. I glanced unsurely back at the lady. She gave me a reassuring nod and a warm smile. I lifted Sorina on to my back and dragged her out. The wizards never ceased to argue. I ran back for Emma, less careful now that I knew it was possible. I grabbed her, and tried to get her into a piggy back on me, like I had done with Sorina, but she was too heavy. I reached for my wand to levitate her.

"Wingardium Leviosa," I whispered.

My wand shone and Emma began to rise. Simultaneously, the wizards stopped arguing and looked at me. I stumbled…and ran. Levitating Emma behind me, and Sorina too once I had reached the doorway, I sprinted through the hallways. The mysterious and beautiful lady was gone.

"No, no, no!" I cried, stumbling blindly around the dungeon like place.

I saw a door and made a dash for it, holding my wand up. Why had they had to see me just as I had picked up Emma. And where was the lady? Had she deserted me?

I turned the corner into the door and crashed straight into someone's back. Not just anyone though…Malfoy. Harry was lying in front of him, breathless on the floor as if he had just fought a duel and lost.

Malfoy turned angrily. "You were dead!" he roared, grabbing for my neck. He just barely missed as I ducked out of the way and ran past him to help Harry. Harry wouldn't get up. He just laid there and breathed hard. Emma and Sorina's floating bodies smacked Malfoy on their way in. I settled them behind me, before Malfoy could set up for another attack.

"Harry, you need to wake up," I cried, shaking him. I was getting frantic. I couldn't face Malfoy by myself.

"You won't be by yourself, little one. I will be here too," said a chiming voice next to me. I turned to see the lady again.

"Where did you go?" I shouted, frustrated for being deserted, yet relieved to have someone to help me.

"I was with you the whole time. I couldn't help you again until you had ended that spell of yours," she answered calmly.

I returned to the present situation. I didn't have time to argue with a lunatic.

I threw up a shield spell as Malfoy began to hurl curses at me. I glanced at where the lady had been seconds before and cursed. She was gone again.

**Chapter 34**

"How did you survive? I saw your dead body! I have your powers! You cannot be here!" hissed Malfoy at me.

I smirked. "I am dead. My body is in the other room lying there dead. I'm not really alive, Malfoy."

Malfoy went white. "But…but that's impossible," he stuttered. "No one can return from death, and the prophecy said…"

"The prophecy said that you were the only one who could truly kill me, not that you actually would."

He smiled, making me hesitate. A smile like that on the face of a person who was facing his defeat seemed insane, and just not right!

"Then I can still kill you, my dear One-Who-Can-Save-Us-All-Or-Grant-Evil-A-Horrible-Power."

I cursed and ducked as he shot a strong spell which broke through my shield. Thanks to my being raised as a muggle, I had never had the time to really get the hang of some magic.

"Don't use lasting spells, your essence returns when you use them," said a irritated, yet still beautiful voice from my side. "When you use an active spell, one that lasts instead of taking just a second, you won't be able to hear or see me."

"Sorry," I apologized, "But now's really not the time to lecture me. I won't use spells like that, but I have to protect my friends."

"What about protecting youself?"

That made me freeze. "I'm not as important. I already gave up died, and had a chance to come back. They won't."

She nodded, "A friendship is an awful thing to lose. But worry not, when you do not perform active spells, you cannot be seen. Your essence is not fully here. Half of it is in the muggle world. I can explain more after this current issue."

"So Malfoy can't see me?" I asked slyly, ideas forming in my head.

She looked at me sternly, with an uncanny likeness to Rowling in the way she showed her disapproval. "Don't even think of it," she warned.

Ignoring her, I slid past Malfoy and cleared my throat loudly, while doing a quick shield spell.

Malfoy turned quickly, his eyes wide, the whites showing. He must've thought himself mad to be able to see me one minute, and not the next. "Where are you?" he cried out, wildly.

I raced past him and he snarled as he saw me.

Instantly I ended my shield spell again and was invisible. I was vaguely aware of the lady in the corner of the room watching, unsatisfied, with her arms crossed.

I raced past Malfoy and shot a simple Shock Spell at his back.

He jumped, but he just barely missed seeing me. I raced around him, torturing him until he finally fell to the floor with his head in his hands. "I give up. Just show yourself or leave." He laughed insanely. I shook my head, knowing he had finally cracked. "Not that you can get out. This place is so complex." He laughed more. I rolled my eyes thinking, 'Wow, he sure forgot about the portals quickly.'

I tried to concentrate…but nothing happened.

The lady rolled her eyes. "Your portal magic is gone. Malfoy has it in his possession. You have but the tiniest bit of witch power left. Once you have defeated Malfoy, the Fates who make the past, present, and future will remove them from you and you will be a muggle once more."

I froze. Great timing, lady. So, not only am I going to be half dead and expelled, but I'll lose all of my magic. I had spent my entire life dreaming I was in Harry Potter's world and here I was, fighting off evil. But it was going to go away. I slowly turned to the lady. "And what if I refuse to fight?" I demanded, stubbornly.

"The world will end." She said simply. "It will no longer be worth living in." That made me rethink the situation.

"Then there's only one thing to do," I said. "Do you think you could help me get Sorina, Emma, and Harry out of here."

For once, the lady smiled. "That I can do, with your agreement that you will finish your battle with Malfoy."

Gulping, I nodded. "Just keep them safe. And I want explanations later!"

She nodded and a second later both she and Harry had disappeared from the room. Judging by the frantic shouting from the halls, Sorina and Emma had disappeared too.

"Malfoy," I catcalled, putting up a temporary shield spell so he could see me. "You're right, I can't go anywhere. But I can fight. And that's all that matters. And you know what else? I really hate losers like you. Avada Kedavra!"

Green light burst from my wand as I shouted the fatal words to the Killing Curse. I felt my soul screaming and it ripped apart. My magic was slipping away. I felt…normal. Too normal. Like a muggle once again. As if in slow motion, Malfoy fell to the ground. The building above me shook. Malfoy's magic must have been what was keeping it together.

I took a deep breath. "I did it." And I fell to the floor, which disappeared from under me until I landed safely in my bed in the Gryffindor Tower.

As I slept, I dreamed. The beautiful lady was in front of me, in her typical robes of thin, white silk. Light shone from behind her and the other beautiful beings surrounding me in this peaceful meadow. All had the finely chiseled features of ancient statues.

"We are the Fates." Said one particularly beautiful one. "We know the possibilities of the past, present, and future and it is our job to intervene when necessary. We prevent time paradoxes and we send prophecies to the Seers of Earth. Ashley, you were but a tool in our plan, but you have succeeded. We had forseen the trouble Malfoy would have brought. It was far worse than any human could have realized. But this peace is over. You can no longer be involved in the magic world. Around magic, your mind will not be able to proceed normally. Things will appear blurry, and you will not always be in a solid form. Without your special magic, your body cannot bind itself together properly. We removed your witch magic to prevent your death. With the splitting of your soul you have saved the future, but destroyed yourself. If you stay at Hogwarts, you will only suffer for it. Muggles cannot see Hogwarts from the outside, and from the inside it will be difficult to remain. You must rejoin the non-magic world and go on as a muggle. But do not worry, you will not miss any of it. So the Fates have spoken. So it will be."

The perfect faces and the perfect scene faded. My eyes groggily opened. School… but it was blurry. I tried to sit up and felt myself sinking. I looked down through my blurry eyes. My bottom seemed to be falling through the bed. Alarmed, I stood and raced over to Sorina's four-poster. She was asleep. I shouted her name, and she rolled over, but did not awake.

Tears began to roll down my face. What was happening to me?

I turned back to Sorina only to find her already awake. "Ashley?" she asked in amazement. "I had this awful dream. Malfoy was there. And you, you…Oh my God, Ashley, you're see-through. What's going on."

I looked to her and put my face in my hands. "It was real. I killed Malfoy and now I'm mostly muggle. The Fates want me to go back to the muggle world. I…. can you go get Rowling for me."

Sorina grabbed her dressing gown and raced from the room. I looked around at the place where I had been living for the past school year. It was like something out of a story, but it was time for the story to end.

Sorina arrived with Rowling and I quickly explained the whole story. Rowling told me that they were connecting my house's fireplace to the fireplace here. This was it. I would leave.

The Last Chapter

I stood up from packing my trunk, a difficult task considering my bosy kept becoming ghostly unsolid. Tears were silently streaming from my eyes. Sorina came over. "I'm sorry you're leaving." She said quietly, looking down. "I guess it's kinda my fault. I…" She shook her head and turned away. I grabbed her around the shoulders in a huge bear hug. "Why are you apologizing? You're the best friend I ever had.

Professor Rowling stuck her head through the door. "Are you ready to go, Ashley?" She asked solemnly.

I nodded, picking up one of my smaller bags. Rowling levitated my trunk behind me and we stepped down into the Gryffindor common room.

At the bottom, Professor Rowling turned to me. "Ashley, you don't have to do this. You could stay here and become a normal part of the magical community. Ashley, you could stay if you just…" She stopped as she saw me shaking my head as I remembered what the Fates had said. Looking as though she were about to cry, she nodded. "The magical world will miss you though. You saved everyone and for that we're thankful. Good bye Ashley." She gave me a little hug, something I'd never even dreamed of before I had learned that Hogwarts was real. My favorite author, J.K. Rowling, truly sad that I was leaving.

Emma stood there too, and I hugged her as well. She looked somber, and although she wasn't crying, I knew that she would miss me just as I'd miss her.

I glanced hopelessly back at the Gryffindor common room, preparing to take the fatal step into the fireplace that would return me to being an average muggle in the average muggle world. I'd have no adventures, no enemies, and I wouldn't even be allowed to use my magic. So that would be it. I would leave.

I looked for one last time back again towards the steps to my dormitory. Sorina rushed down the stairs, crying. She ran over and hugged me tightly. "I'll miss you." She whispered. I was crying too now.

"I'll miss you too. I whispered back. Both crying, we embraced knowing that this would be the last time that we would ever see each other again. I took a deep breath and looked at J.K. Rowling. I guess that would be the right name to call her now. She threw the floo powder into the fireplace, calling out "the heroine's house." So that's what I was now. The heroine. Knowing that my parents and my former life were waiting for me on the other side, I stepped into the fire place for my final disappearing act, no longer a out cast girl with one tiny flaw; different magic.

**Epilogue:** So now, here I am. A muggle girl with different magic, but that could be a dream for all I know. I can't use magic. I'm just a muggle in a 9th grade class of a Pennsylvanian middle school, writing Harry Potter fanfictions for the internet and wishing for adventure. My past at Hogwarts was just a dream, wasn't it. I always thought so. But from the moment I opened my journal that I had written when I was in fifth grade, I knew something was wrong. I remembered having an HP dream and writing it down, but it had been before the fifth book had come out. How had I known about thestrals or anything like that. It seemed unreal. I don't think that I'd had that much writing talent back then. I thought I was pretty bad. But this? As a fifth grader with not enough creativity to write a story…did I really right this and make it up in my mind…or was it real? Was it really a dream I had written, or reality. Maybe there was some part of the dream that wasn't remembered. Maybe Rowling had told me afterwards that I would remember it all as a dream when I arrived at muggle life again.

Maybe it was real.

Now it doesn't matter though. There's nothing I could do to find out the truth at this point. But I can always type it on Microsoft Word, an ordinary muggle computer program, and tell it to others. Who knows, maybe one day I can find out what really happened. But it all seems like a dream. A long, amazing dream.

And now, what's this. My words are fading…what's happening? I'm forgetting everything that happened again….at least it's written down…what was I saying…the truth…memories…or what….WHAT was I saying?…an interesting story but surely not true…it couldn't possibly be real…what is this? Was my memory freaking out? This couldn't have really happened. I'm just a muggle and always have been. Right? That's all I am. A muggle...right?


End file.
